TRAY MAKE SYSTEM AND TRAY MAKE METHOD

Abstract

To prevent food and beverages from being served incorrectly to each eater.SOLUTION: In a tray makeup system (1) and a tray makeup method where food and beverages predetermined for each eater are served on a plurality of pieces of tableware and placed on a tray (5): an image (12) of the plurality of pieces of tableware (7-11) placed on the tray, with food and beverages served on them and an infrared image corresponding to temperatures are captured for each tray (5); the captured image of the plurality of pieces of tableware (7-11) placed on the tray, with food and beverages served on them is compared with model images (19-24) of the pieces of tableware (7-11) normally placed on the tray (5); and it is confirmed whether the tableware (7-11) containing the food and beverages predetermined for each eater is correctly positioned on the tray (5), and whether temperatures of the food and beverages are appropriate, from the infrared image corresponding to the temperatures.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a tray making system and a tray making method for placing a plurality of dishes, each of which is served with food and drink predetermined for each diner, on a tray. [Background technology]

[0002] Traditionally, in hospitals, schools, and other places, meals are served to a large number of diners at the same time. In such cases, multiple dishes with food and drink on them are placed on a tray for each diner. The task of placing multiple dishes with food and drink on each diners' trays in this way is called tray making.

[0003] In hospitals, schools and the like, meals are provided to each diner according to his or her medical condition, physical condition, constitution, and the like.

[0004] For this reason, meal cards are created for each diner, with information about the predetermined meal listed on them, and when making the trays, workers must place multiple dishes, each with different foods and drinks for each diner, onto each tray based on the information listed on the meal card corresponding to each diner (see, for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] JP 2018-108292 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] In the conventional tray making described above, multiple dishes containing predetermined foods and drinks must be placed on the tray according to the medical condition, physical condition, constitution, etc. of each diner. Therefore, after the tray is made (before the food is served to each diner), it is necessary to carefully check that no food or drink has been placed on the tray by mistake to avoid accidentally serving different foods and drinks. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In the present invention, in a tray making system or method in which a plurality of dishes on which food and drink are served, which are predetermined for each diner, are placed on a tray conveyed by a conveyer, Temperature-dependent infrared Images are taken for each tray, and the images are Images of each dish extracted from Analyze and By tableware Check to see if the food and drink are at the right temperature.

[0008] In addition, in the present invention, in a tray making system or method in which a plurality of dishes containing predetermined foods and beverages for each diner are placed on a tray transported by a conveyer, an image of the state in which the plurality of dishes containing foods and beverages are placed and an infrared image corresponding to the temperature are taken for each tray, and the taken image of the state in which the plurality of dishes containing foods and beverages are placed is compared with a model image of the state in which the dishes are normally placed on the tray, to confirm that the dishes containing the predetermined foods and beverages for each diner are placed in the correct positions on the tray, and a temperature-corresponding infrared image is used .... Extract and analyze images of each dish, Check to see if the food and drink are at the right temperature. Effect of the Invention

[0009] The present invention can prevent food and drink from being mistakenly served to each diner. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] 1A is a plan view illustrating a tray making system according to the present invention, and FIG. 1B is a side view illustrating the same. [Diagram 2] FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0011] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, a specific configuration of a tray making system and a tray making method according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0012] As shown in Figure 1, the tray making system 1 has a camera serving as an imaging means 3 above the downstream end of a conveyor belt serving as a transport means 2, and a controller serving as a control means 4 is connected to the transport means 2 and the imaging means 3, etc., so that the control means 4 controls the operation of the transport means 2, the imaging means 3, etc.

[0013] In the tray making system 1, trays 5 to be provided to each diner are transported from upstream to downstream by a transport means 2, and during the transport process, a worker places tableware 7-11 containing food and drink predetermined for each diner onto each tray 5 based on the information listed on the meal card 6 placed on each tray 5. At the downstream end of the transport means 2, the condition of each tray 5 is checked based on the information listed on each meal card 6, and only normal trays 5 are provided to each diner using a transport cart or the like.

[0014] The conveying means 2 conveys the trays 5 from the upstream end to the downstream end. A meal card 6 for each diner is placed on each tray 5. Each meal card 6 bears information identifying the diner and information identifying the meal predetermined for that diner (such as the type, number and arrangement of dishes 7-11). Note that the meal cards 6 do not necessarily bear information directly written in characters, but may also bear information indirectly written as data such as a code that can be recognized by the control means 4.

[0015] As the trays 5 are transported from the upstream side to the downstream side by the transport means 2, the worker places dishes 7 to 11 containing food and drink predetermined for each diner in a predetermined arrangement on each tray 5 according to the meal cards 6 placed on each tray 5.

[0016] Then, at the downstream end of the conveying means 2, the photographing means 3 photographs the meal cards 6 and tableware 7 to 11 placed on each tray 5 for each tray 5.

[0017] The photographing means 3 may be any means capable of acquiring an image of each tray 5, and may be capable of photographing the entirety of each tray 5 with one camera, or may be capable of photographing the entirety of each tray 5 with multiple cameras. Furthermore, the photographing means 3 may be not only a camera that photographs normal images, but may also be a camera that photographs microscopic images at a higher magnification than a normal camera, or a camera that photographs infrared images corresponding to temperature.

[0018] The control means 4 controls the transport means 2 to transport the trays 5 from the upstream side to the downstream side, and also controls the imaging means 3 to photograph each tray 5 that has been transported to the downstream end of the transport means 2.

[0019] 2, the control means 4 takes an image of a state in which a plurality of dishes 7-11 containing food and drink are placed on each tray 5, analyzes the taken image 12, confirms that predetermined food and drink for each diner is placed on the tray 5, and notifies the worker using the notification means if it determines that food and drink is not placed correctly on the tray 5. In this way, the tray making system 1 can perform mechanical confirmation in addition to visual confirmation by the worker, and can prevent food and drink from being served to each diner by mistake.

[0020] At that time, the control means 4 extracts an image 13 of the meal card 6 and images 14-18 of each of the dishes 7-11 from the image 12 captured by the photographing means 3, and confirms that the food and drink predetermined for each diner has been placed on the tray 5 based on the image 13 of the meal card 6 and the images 14-18 of each of the dishes 7-11.

[0021] For example, the control means 4 extracts an image 13 of the meal card 6 and images 14-18 of each of the dishes 7-11 from the image 12 based on the shapes and colors of the meal card 6 and the dishes 7-11.

[0022] Furthermore, the control means 4 recognizes the information printed on the meal card 6 from the image 13 of the meal card 6, and acquires predetermined information for each diner using a database or the like. This predetermined information for each diner includes a model image 19 of the state in which the dishes 7-11 are properly placed on the tray 5, and model images 20-24 of the state in which food and drink are properly arranged on each of the dishes 7-11.

[0023] The control means 4 can then compare the image 12 capturing the entire tray 5 with a model image 19 showing the tableware 7-11 properly placed on the tray 5, thereby determining whether the tableware 7-11 are placed in the correct positions on the tray 5 with no excess or deficiency.

[0024] In addition, the control means 4 can determine whether there are any errors or deficiencies in each of the dishes 7-11 by comparing the images 14-18 for each of the dishes 7-11 with model images 20-24 showing food and drink properly served on each of the dishes 7-11.

[0025] The control means 4 can analyze the image 12 of the entire tray 5 and the images 14-18 of each of the tableware 7-11 extracted from it to check the state of the food and drink presentation (color, shape, amount, etc.) of each of the tableware 7-11, the presence of foreign matter, and the state of dirt or damage of each of the tableware 7-11. Furthermore, by using images of the food and drink taken at high magnification or high resolution, the control means 4 can check whether bacteria or the like has grown in the food and drink. Furthermore, by using images taken with infrared light, the control means 4 can check whether the temperature of the food and drink is appropriate, whether it needs to be reheated, and the temperature setting for reheating.

[0026] Then, the control means 4 checks the excess or shortage of the tableware 7-11, the misarrangement, the state of the food and drink, etc. for each tray 5, and then notifies the worker using the notification means. The tray making system 1 not only notifies the excess or shortage of the tableware 7-11, the misarrangement, the state of the food and drink, etc., but also notifies the worker of precautions such as allergies for each eater based on information obtained from the meal card 6, to draw the worker's attention. In the tray making system 1, the photographing means 3 is disposed at the end of the downstream side of the conveying means 2 to photograph the tray 5 after tray making, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the photographing means 3 may be disposed at the upstream side of the conveying means 2, etc., to photograph the tray 5 before or during tray making, and to notify the worker of precautions such as allergies for each eater and the position of the tableware 7-11, etc., based on information obtained from the meal card 6.

[0027] As described above, the tray making system 1 and the tray making method performed therein are configured to take an image 12 of each tray 5 containing a plurality of dishes 7-11 filled with food and drink, analyze the taken image 12, and confirm that a predetermined amount of food and drink has been placed on the tray 5 for each diner.

[0028] Therefore, the tray making system 1 and tray making method configured as described above can perform mechanical checks in addition to visual checks by workers, thereby preventing food and drink from being served to diners by mistake.

[0029] In addition, the tray making system 1 and tray making method are configured to extract images 14-18 for each of the dishes 7-11 from the photographed image 12, and confirm that predetermined food and drink have been placed on the tray 5 for each diner based on the images 14-18 for each of the dishes 7-11.

[0030] Therefore, the tray making system 1 and tray making method configured as described above can prevent food and drink from being mistakenly served to each diner in each of the dishes 7 to 11, and can also check each dish for foreign objects or improper presentation.

[0031] Furthermore, in the above-mentioned tray making system 1 and tray making method, a meal card 6 created for each diner is placed on a tray 5, an image 13 of the meal card 6 is photographed for each tray 5, the photographed image 13 is analyzed, and it is confirmed that predetermined food and drink have been placed on the tray 5 for each diner.

[0032] Therefore, the tray making system 1 and tray making method configured as described above can automatically obtain predetermined food and drink information for each diner listed on the meal card 6, making it possible to more reliably prevent food and drink from being mistakenly served to each diner. [Explanation of symbols]

[0033] 1 Tray making system 2 Transport means 3. Shooting means 4. Control means 5 Tray 6 Meal Card 7~11 Tableware 12~18 Images 19~24 Model images

Claims

1. In a tray making system, a plurality of dishes on which food and drink predetermined for each diner are served are placed on a tray conveyed by a conveyer, This tray making system is characterized by taking an infrared image corresponding to the temperature of a plurality of dishes on which food and drink are placed for each tray, analyzing the image for each dish extracted from the taken image, and confirming whether the temperature of the food and drink for each dish is appropriate or not.

2. In a tray making system, a plurality of dishes on which food and drink predetermined for each diner are served are placed on a tray conveyed by a conveyer, This tray making system takes an image of a plurality of dishes with food and drink placed on them and an infrared image corresponding to the temperature for each tray, compares the taken image of the plurality of dishes with food and drink placed on them with a model image of the dishes properly placed on the tray, confirms that the dishes for food and drink predetermined for each diner are placed in the correct positions on the tray, and extracts and analyzes an image of each dish from the infrared image corresponding to the temperature to confirm whether the temperature of the food and drink for each dish is appropriate.

3. A tray making method for placing a plurality of dishes on which food and drink predetermined for each diner is served on a tray conveyed by a conveyer, comprising: This tray making method is characterized by taking an infrared image corresponding to the temperature of a plurality of dishes on which food and drink are placed for each tray, analyzing the image for each dish extracted from the taken image, and confirming whether the temperature of the food and drink for each dish is appropriate or not.

4. A tray making method for placing a plurality of dishes on which food and drink predetermined for each diner is served on a tray conveyed by a conveyer, comprising: This tray-making method is characterized by taking an image of a plurality of dishes with food and drink placed on them and an infrared image corresponding to the temperature for each tray, comparing the taken image of the plurality of dishes with food and drink placed on them with a model image of the dishes properly placed on the tray, confirming that the dishes for food and drink predetermined for each diner are placed in the correct positions on the tray, and extracting and analyzing an image of each dish from the infrared image corresponding to the temperature to confirm whether the temperature of the food and drink for each dish is appropriate.

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