In-store storage management system for refrigerated dough

Abstract

To provide a storage and management system in shop for refrigerated bread dough managing temperature inside a refrigerator for refrigerated bread dough to provide the bread dough refrigerated to optimum temperature according to a manufacturing plan table of a bakery product manufactured in a store.SOLUTION: A computer device for management in a system includes an input unit for accepting input of a manufacturing plan sheet and a sensor unit connected to a temperature sensor, calculates target refrigeration temperature for the refrigerated bread dough stored in the refrigerator for bread dough by using a bread dough temperature calculation model formula including time length for the rewarming process for the refrigerated bread dough specified by an accepted manufacturing plan sheet and indoor temperature for the shop acquired by the sensor unit in input variable with dough temperature for the refrigerated bread dough at finish time of rewarming process as the output variable and control data for adjusting the inside temperature of the refrigerator for bread dough to a calculated refrigeration target temperature is transmitted to the refrigerator for bread dough is transmitted to the refrigerator for bread dough. The refrigerator for bread dough controls the inside temperature according to the received control data.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an in-store storage management system for refrigerated dough, and more specifically, to an in-store storage management system for refrigerated dough that manages the temperature inside a dough refrigerator installed in a store so that refrigerated dough is provided at an optimum temperature according to a production schedule for the day of production of bakery products produced in the store. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, the number of stores offering freshly baked, high-quality bread, Danish pastries, and other bakery products to customers has increased, while customer needs and tastes have become more diverse. On the other hand, if any bakery products remain unsold on the day of production, their value drops and food waste occurs, and conversely, if there are shortages, sales opportunities are lost. Therefore, in order to increase profits and stabilize management, it is extremely important to accurately predict the items to be produced on each sales day and their production quantities, and to carry out work so as to provide freshly baked bakery products according to a production plan (timetable) based on the prediction results.

[0003] Conventionally, the types and quantities of bakery products that would be sold on each sales day and even each time period were predicted by experts such as store managers and chain store managers based on intuition gained from many years of experience. However, because the sales of the products in question are generally affected by a wide variety of variable factors (season, day of the week, weather, events, etc.), it was difficult to make highly accurate predictions using a method of instructing production based on intuition gained from such experience.

[0004] Therefore, Patent Document 1 discloses a technology that calculates and indicates the appropriate quantity of a product to be produced based on past sales data of the product. However, the technology in Patent Document 1 simply calculates and indicates the production volume to be produced in a specified time period, and does not support the preparation of bread dough that is refrigerated at the optimal temperature according to the environment (temperature and humidity) of the production site on that day in order to finish the specified quantity of products by the scheduled production completion (baking) time.

[0005] Patent Document 2 discloses a method for producing freshly baked bread using frozen dough, but this method requires that the frozen dough required for bread to be supplied within a given unit time is subjected to a thawing and proofing process using a dough conditioner, and then the dough must be kept waiting under certain conditions (temperature 5-15°C and humidity 60-98%), which inevitably leads to deterioration of the dough during waiting.Furthermore, it is difficult to adopt the technology disclosed in Patent Document 2 in small stores where it is difficult to introduce a dough conditioner due to financial and store space constraints, and so there is a demand for an in-store storage management system for refrigerated dough that is suitable for small stores that are particular about quality. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 3-99363 [Patent Document 2] JP 2001-149000 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned problems in the conventional method, and an object of the present invention is to provide an in-store storage management system for refrigerated dough that manages the internal temperature of an in-store dough refrigerator that stores refrigerated dough, so that refrigerated dough is provided that is refrigerated at an optimum temperature in accordance with the production plan for the day of production of bakery products produced in the store. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] In order to achieve the above object, one aspect of the present invention provides an in-store storage management system for refrigerated dough that manages the internal temperature of a dough refrigerator installed in the store based on a production schedule for the day of production so that refrigerated dough used in bakery products produced in the store is provided in an optimally refrigerated state at the start time of production of the bakery products, the in-store storage management system including the dough refrigerator and a management computer device communicably connected to the dough refrigerator, the management computer device including an input unit that receives input of the production schedule, a sensor unit that is connected to an air temperature sensor installed in the store, and input variables including a time length of a reheating process of the refrigerated dough in a production run specified in the received production schedule, a preparation amount of the refrigerated dough, and an indoor temperature of the store acquired by the sensor unit, and a temperature at the end time of the reheating process. a data communication unit that transmits control data including the calculated target refrigeration temperature to the dough refrigerator; a storage unit that stores dough information including the received production schedule, the dough temperature calculation model formula, and heat transfer characteristic data of the refrigerated dough; and a control unit that controls the overall operation of the management computer device. The dough refrigerator controls a cooling unit of the dough refrigerator based on the control data transmitted from the management computer device so that the dough temperature of the stored refrigerated dough is maintained at the target refrigeration temperature. The production schedule includes an amount of the refrigerated dough to be prepared for each production run, which are set in different time zones on the day of production, a production start time, and an end time of the rewarming process which begins simultaneously with the start of production.

[0009] The refrigeration temperature calculation unit of the management computer device back-calculates the dough temperature of the refrigerated dough at the start time of production of the production run by inputting the target dough temperature of the refrigerated dough at the end time of the rewarming process of the production run specified in the production plan table into the output variable of the dough temperature calculation model equation, and sets the dough temperature of the refrigerated dough calculated by back-calculation to the target refrigeration temperature, and it is preferable that the target dough temperature of the refrigerated dough at the end time of the rewarming process is manually input into the input unit or is stored in advance in the memory unit. The dough refrigerator may include a probe-type dough temperature sensor for measuring the central temperature of the refrigerated dough stored in the dough refrigerator, and may control a cooling unit of the dough refrigerator so that the central temperature of the refrigerated dough measured by the probe-type dough temperature sensor is maintained at the target refrigeration temperature. The management computer device can continuously obtain the indoor temperature of the store from the sensor unit at predetermined time intervals after the start time of the production batch, input the obtained indoor temperature, the length of time for the reheating process of the refrigerated dough in the next production batch, and the amount of refrigerated dough to be prepared into the dough temperature calculation model formula to recalculate the target refrigeration temperature of the refrigerated dough, and transmit control data including the recalculated target refrigeration temperature to the dough refrigerator. It is preferable that the dough refrigerator includes a plurality of refrigeration compartments, each of which is configured so that the temperature therein can be controlled independently. The refrigerated dough is preferably a dough that has been subjected to a first fermentation, divided, and then refrigerated. The in-store storage management system for refrigerated bread dough further includes an information processing server at a store management center that manages multiple stores, and the management computer device is connected to the information processing server via a communication network and can receive the production plan table from the information processing server via the data communication unit. Effect of the Invention

[0010] According to the present invention, high-quality freshly baked bakery products can be produced in a timely manner with stable quality in accordance with the production schedule of each store on the day of production. In addition, according to the present invention, the temperature inside the dough refrigerator in the store is autonomously managed so that the refrigerated bread dough specified in the production schedule is maintained at the optimal refrigeration temperature in accordance with the production start time, which reduces the need for manpower and makes the production process more efficient, and makes it possible to provide high-quality bakery products without relying on the experience of craftsmen. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0011] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic diagram showing the overall configuration of an in-store storage management system for refrigerated bread dough according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] 1 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a management computer device included in an in-store storage management system for refrigerated bread dough according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Diagram 3] 1 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the configuration of a refrigerator for refrigerated dough included in an in-store storage management system for refrigerated dough according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing another configuration example of a refrigerated bread dough refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 5] 2 is a block diagram showing an example of a functional configuration of a management computer device according to the present embodiment. FIG. [Figure 6] 5 is a flowchart showing the operational steps of the management computer device according to the present embodiment for generating control data. [Figure 7] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of a regression line between indoor temperature measurement data in a specific store and the outdoor air temperature at the location of the store at the date and time corresponding to the measurement data. [Figure 8] 1 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a production plan table for the day of production input into an in-store storage management system for refrigerated bread dough according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 9] FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of how the dough temperature changes over time during the reheating period of refrigerated dough in each production run in the production plan shown in FIG. 7. [Figure 10] 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of an information processing server of a store management center according to the present embodiment. FIG. [Figure 11] 5 is a flowchart showing the operational steps of an information processing server of a store management center according to the present embodiment for creating a production plan table. [Figure 12] 1 is a schematic diagram showing the overall configuration of an in-store storage management system for refrigerated bread dough according to another embodiment of the present invention. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0012] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, specific examples of the embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

[0013] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the overall configuration of an in-store storage management system for refrigerated bread dough according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0014] The in-store storage management system for refrigerated dough according to the present invention is designed to handle in-store production of bakery products using refrigerated dough, which is made by dividing the dough that has undergone primary fermentation and then refrigerating it at a temperature range of -7°C to 2°C to put the yeast to sleep.The refrigerated dough is then used to carry out the processes of reheating, shaping, proofing, and baking in an oven within the sales store (hereinafter referred to as the store).

[0015] As shown in FIG. 1, an in-store storage management system 1 for refrigerated dough according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a management computer device 10 and a refrigerated dough refrigerator (hereinafter referred to as the dough refrigerator) 20 installed in the store, with these devices connected to each other so as to be able to communicate with each other.

[0016] In this embodiment, an example is shown in which the management computer device 10 is installed in a store, but the location of the management computer device 10 does not need to be limited to inside the store, and the management computer device 10 can be installed anywhere as long as it can communicate with the dough refrigerator 20. Moreover, the management computer device 10 does not need to be configured as an independent device, and may be configured in a form that is incorporated into the dough refrigerator 20. The management computer device 10 may be further connected to an information processing server 30 of a store management center (described later) via a communication network 5 including the Internet or the like so as to be able to communicate with each other, and may be connected to one or more POS (Point of Sales) terminals 40 installed in the store.

[0017] The management computer device 10 can be configured as a general-purpose PC (personal computer) or a dedicated information processing device.

[0018] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a management computer device included in an in-store storage management system for refrigerated bread dough according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0019] As shown in FIG. 2, the management computer device 10 includes a control unit 11 including a CPU, a main memory device, an auxiliary memory device, etc. (not shown), a data communication unit 12 that handles communication with the dough refrigerator 20 etc., a display unit 13 that displays various information on a specified display means (not shown), a memory unit 14 that stores data processed by the control unit 11, a manufacturing process master of bakery products manufactured in the store (information such as the work content and standard process time for each manufacturing process), dough information including the heat transfer characteristics and shapes of various refrigerated bread doughs used in the store, and data on a production plan created for the store, and an input unit 15 that accepts inputs instructed by the store operator or production manager.

[0020] The management computer device 10 further includes a sensor unit 16 connected to a temperature sensor 16a and a humidity sensor 26b installed in a place in the store where the bakery products are manufactured (hereinafter referred to as the manufacturing site). Detection signals from the temperature sensor 16a and the humidity sensor 16b are converted from analog to digital by the sensor unit 26 and transmitted to the control unit 11 at predetermined time intervals (for example, every 1 to 10 minutes) as measurement data of the temperature (hereinafter referred to as the room temperature) and humidity at the manufacturing site, respectively.

[0021] The management computer device 10 may be configured to accept the production plan table for the day of production created for the store via the input unit 15, or to receive it from an external device (e.g., the information processing server 30 of the store management center) via the data communication unit 12. The production plan table for the day of production for the store may be created by the information processing server 30 of the store management center using a method described below, or may be created by the management computer device 10 of the store. The production plan table for the day of production (hereinafter simply referred to as the production plan table) includes the item and quantity of bakery products to be produced for each time period (production run) on the day of production, the type of refrigerated bread dough to be used, the start time of production for each production run, and the end time of the reheating process which begins simultaneously with the start of production. Note that reheating refers to returning the temperature of refrigerated bread dough to an appropriate temperature near room temperature.

[0022] The management computer device 10 may have a function of creating a dough preparation slip (instruction list) for notifying or presenting to an operator the type and preparation amount (number and total weight) of refrigerated dough to be stored in advance in the dough refrigerator 20 installed in the store for the bakery products to be produced in each production run specified in the production plan for the store. The preparation amount is calculated based on the quantity of bakery products to be produced and the specifications of the refrigerated dough to be used, which are specified in the production plan.

[0023] The management computer device 10 may store the production plan table and the dough preparation slip created based on the production plan table in the memory unit 14 and display them on the display unit 13. The management computer device 10 may also be connected to a printer so that the production plan table and the dough preparation slip can be printed on paper media.

[0024] The management computer device 10 also has a function of calculating a target value for the temperature at which the refrigerated dough is refrigerated (hereinafter referred to as a target refrigeration temperature) so that the refrigerated dough refrigerated at the optimum temperature is provided (i.e., taken out from the dough refrigerator 20) at the production start time based on the time length of the reheating process of the refrigerated dough specified in the production schedule, the amount of refrigerated dough, and the room temperature of the store, and generating control data for controlling the temperature inside the dough refrigerator 20 so that the dough temperature of the refrigerated dough (more preferably the temperature at the center of the dough) is maintained at the calculated target refrigeration temperature. The generated control data is transmitted to the dough refrigerator 20 via the data communication unit 12. The above-mentioned functions and operation method of the management computer device 10 will be described in detail later.

[0025] Furthermore, the management computer device 10 may have a function of acquiring sales information (POS data) of bakery products inputted to a POS terminal 40 installed in the store, adding a predetermined store identification code to the storage unit 14, and transmitting the data to the information processing server 30 of the store management center. The POS terminal 40 may be of various types, such as a POS dedicated register, a PC type POS terminal, or a tablet type POS terminal. The POS terminal 40 may be configured to add a predetermined store identification code to the sales information (POS data) of bakery products and transmit it directly to the information processing server 30 of the store management center via the communication network 5.

[0026] When the sales information is input to the POS terminal 40, the control unit 11 of the management computer device 10 synchronizes with the input of the sales information and causes the sensor unit 16 to acquire data on the indoor temperature and humidity of the production site in the store, and stores the acquired indoor temperature and humidity data in the memory unit 14 in association with the sales information (POS data) input to the POS terminal 40, and may also transmit the data to the information processing server 30 of the store management center. The transmitted POS data can be used to create a production schedule, which will be described later.

[0027] Next, the configuration of a dough refrigerator included in an in-store storage management system for refrigerated dough according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 3 and 4. Note that the equipment configuration for implementing the refrigeration function is the same as that of a general dough refrigerator, so a detailed description will be omitted.

[0028] FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the configuration of a refrigerator for refrigerated dough included in an in-store storage management system for refrigerated dough according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0029] As shown in FIG. 3, the dough refrigerator 20 according to one embodiment of the present invention is configured such that the control unit 21 of the dough refrigerator 20 controls the cooling unit (including cooling means, defrosting means, and fan, not shown) 22 of the refrigerator body 20a, which has multiple shelves (not shown) on which trays (23a, 23b) containing refrigerated dough 3 are placed, based on control data received from the management computer device 10, so that the dough temperature of the refrigerated dough 3 (more preferably, the temperature at the center of the dough) is maintained at a target refrigeration temperature calculated based on the production schedule for the day of production.

[0030] Refrigerator body 20a is provided with front door 20b for inserting and removing trays (23a, 23b), and refrigerator body 20a is provided with interior temperature sensor 24 for detecting interior temperature. Refrigerator body 20a may further be provided with interior humidity sensor 25 for detecting interior humidity. Interior temperature sensor 24 and interior humidity sensor 25 are connected to control unit 21, and analog signals detected by these sensors are successively converted by control unit 21 into numerical data (digital data) corresponding to the interior temperature and interior humidity, respectively, i.e., measurement data.

[0031] The dough refrigerator 20 according to this embodiment may be provided with a probe-type dough temperature sensor 26 in the refrigerator body 20a for measuring the central temperature of the refrigerated dough 3. By inserting the probe of the dough temperature sensor 26 into at least one of the refrigerated doughs 3 arranged on the trays (23a, 23b), the central temperature of the refrigerated dough 3 can be monitored, enabling more appropriate refrigeration temperature control of the refrigerated dough 3 than controlling the internal temperature only based on the measurement data of the internal temperature detected by the internal temperature sensor 24. The movable range in which the probe can be inserted can be adjusted by previously setting the length of the cable portion 26a connected to the dough temperature sensor 26 to an appropriate length.

[0032] FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing another configuration example of the refrigerator for refrigerated bread dough according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0033] Another configuration example shown in FIG. 4 is the same as the configuration example of the bread dough refrigerator 20 shown in FIG. 3, except that the shape and arrangement of the probe type dough temperature sensor for measuring the central temperature of the refrigerated dough 3 are different. In the configuration example shown in FIG. 3, the probe type dough temperature sensor 26 is provided in a manner connected to a cable 26a drawn from the wall surface inside the refrigerator main body 20a, while in another configuration example shown in FIG. 4, the probe type dough temperature sensor 27 is provided in a form in which the probe portion protrudes from the bottom surface of the trays (23a, 23b). In FIG. 4, an example in which the dough temperature sensor 27 is provided only in the lower tray 23b is illustrated, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the dough temperature sensor 27 may be provided in either or both of the upper and lower stages. In addition, the number of dough temperature sensors 27 provided in each tray and the arrangement position in the bottom surface of the trays (23a, 23b) can be set arbitrarily.

[0034] The dough temperature sensors (26, 27) are connected to the control unit 21, and the analog signal detected by the dough temperature sensor is converted into numerical data, i.e., measurement data, corresponding to the central temperature of the refrigerated bread dough 3 (hereinafter referred to as the dough central temperature).

[0035] The control unit 21 of the dough refrigerator 20 includes a microcontroller or processor (not shown) and a cooling unit control circuit, and controls the operating state and output level of the cooling means, defrosting means, and fan included in the cooling unit 22 of the dough refrigerator 20 using control data received from the management computer device 10 and measurement data of the internal temperature, internal humidity, and dough core temperature continuously obtained by the internal temperature sensor 24, the internal humidity sensor 25, and the dough temperature sensors (26, 27).

[0036] The control unit 21 may provide (transmit) the measurement data of the inside temperature, inside humidity, and dough core temperature acquired by each of the above-mentioned sensors (24, 25, 26, or 27) to the management computer device 10. In order to compensate for the time lag and temperature difference occurring between the inside temperature acquired by the inside temperature sensor 24 and the dough core temperature acquired by the dough temperature sensor (26, 27), the control unit 21 may perform temperature control (e.g., PID control) corresponding to inside temperature fluctuations at short intervals (e.g., about several seconds to one minute) and inside temperature fluctuations at long intervals (e.g., about several minutes to several tens of minutes) using a correspondence table or relational expression between the inside temperature and the dough core temperature that is based on actual measurement results of the inside temperature and the dough core temperature that is created in advance. The inside temperature fluctuations at short intervals correspond to, for example, temperature fluctuations caused by opening and closing the front door 20b, and the inside temperature fluctuations at long intervals correspond to, for example, fluctuations in the room temperature over a day at the production site.

[0037] Of the measurement data of the internal temperature, internal humidity, and dough core temperature provided (transmitted) from the control unit 21, the management computer device 10 can apply the measurement data of the dough core temperature to a dough temperature calculation model equation for calculating a target refrigeration temperature, which will be described later. The management computer device 10 generates control data including the target refrigeration temperature calculated from the dough core temperature and transmits it to the control unit 21, and the control unit 21 can more accurately maintain the dough core temperature at the target refrigeration temperature by controlling the cooling unit 22 using the control data reflecting the dough core temperature.

[0038] The dough refrigerator 20 may have multiple refrigeration compartments that can be independently controlled for temperature and humidity. By providing multiple refrigeration compartments, different types of refrigerated dough can be handled simultaneously and independently, improving work efficiency and temperature control accuracy.

[0039] Next, the functions and operations of the management computer constituting the in-store storage management system for refrigerated bread dough according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described.

[0040] FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of a management computer device according to this embodiment.

[0041] In this embodiment, the management computer device 10 includes a fabric information creation unit 11a, a refrigeration temperature calculation unit 11b, and an indoor temperature prediction unit 11c as functional units realized by executing a predetermined software program on the CPU of the control unit 11.

[0042] The dough information creation unit 11a creates a dough preparation slip (instruction list) to inform or display to the store worker the type and preparation amount (number and total weight) of refrigerated dough to be stored in advance in the dough refrigerator 20 installed in the store, based on the item and quantity of bakery products to be produced on the production day specified in the production plan, and the type of refrigerated dough to be used. The control unit 11 causes the display unit 13 to display the created dough preparation slip.

[0043] The refrigeration temperature calculation unit 11b inputs the planned production quantity (batch amount) for each time period (production run) specified in the production plan, the length of the reheating process for the refrigerated dough, and the indoor temperature at the production site, which are input variable terms, into an equation (dough temperature calculation model equation based on Newton's law of cooling, described later) that represents a temperature change curve of the dough temperature of the refrigerated dough after it is taken out of the dough refrigerator 20, which changes over time depending on the indoor temperature of the store (more specifically, the production site), and further inputs the dough temperature at the end of the reheating process (target dough temperature) into the refrigerated dough temperature, which is an output variable term, to back-calculate the dough temperature of the refrigerated dough at the time it is taken out of the dough refrigerator 20 (initial temperature, described later), and sets the back-calculated dough temperature of the refrigerated dough at the time it is taken out as the target refrigeration temperature.

[0044] The control unit 11 generates control data for the dough refrigerator 20, including the set target refrigeration temperature, and transmits the control data to the dough refrigerator 20 via the data communication unit 12.

[0045] The indoor temperature prediction unit 11c continuously acquires the indoor temperature at the production site from the sensor unit 16 at a predetermined time interval (for example, every 1 to 10 minutes) after the production start time of each production run, inputs the acquired indoor temperature at the production site into a predetermined prediction formula, calculates a predicted value of the indoor temperature at the production site at the start time of the next production run, and transmits the calculated predicted value to the refrigeration temperature calculation unit 11b. The prediction formula may be a general prediction algorithm based on the temporal temperature change rate (temperature rise / temperature fall) of the indoor temperature at the production site that has been measured and accumulated in the past.

[0046] FIG. 6 is a flow chart showing the operational steps for generating control data by the management computer device according to this embodiment.

[0047] When the management computer device 10 receives (or creates) a production schedule (step S110), the control unit 11 activates the refrigeration temperature calculation unit 11b to read from the memory unit 14 a dough temperature calculation model equation defined by the following formula (1), which represents a temperature change curve in which the dough temperature of the refrigerated dough of the type specified in the received production schedule increases over time in response to the indoor temperature at the production site after it is taken out of the dough refrigerator 20 (step S120), and adds to the formula (1) the duration of the reheating process (corresponding to t) and the dough temperature at the end of the reheating process (corresponding to T) specified in the production schedule, which are the reheating conditions for the refrigerated dough, and the indoor temperature at the production site at the start of production (T rm The initial temperature of the refrigerated dough (corresponding to T0, the temperature of the dough when it is taken out of the dough refrigerator) that satisfies the entered reheating conditions is calculated backwards, and the back-calculated initial temperature of the refrigerated dough is set as the target refrigeration temperature (step S130).

[0048]

number

[0049] In the above-mentioned bread dough temperature calculation model formula, the time from the start time of production to the end time of the reheating process is input in the term "t" as the time length of the reheating process. The exponent term (h x S)÷C is calculated by the control unit 11 reading out from the storage unit 14 a calculation formula corresponding to the type of refrigerated dough specified in the production plan table and inputting the amount of dough to be mixed into the calculation formula. This calculation formula is derived in advance based on the specifications of the refrigerated dough (dough form and heat transfer characteristic data) and is stored in the production information storage unit 14b of the storage unit 14. Note that dough information including the specifications of the refrigerated dough is stored in advance in the production information storage unit 14b of the storage unit 14.

[0050] On the other hand, the indoor temperature T rm Since the temperature varies throughout the day, it is preferable to use the measurement data of the temperature sensor 16a installed at the production site in the store after the production start time as an input and use the predicted value of the indoor temperature at the production site at the start time of the next production run calculated by the indoor temperature prediction unit 11c. The predicted indoor temperature is input and an updated target refrigeration temperature for the next production run is calculated. The calculated updated target refrigeration temperature for the next production run is sent to the dough refrigerator 20, and the dough refrigerator 20 controls the cooling unit 22 based on the updated target refrigeration temperature, thereby enabling a more appropriate temperature setting.

[0051] In addition, the indoor temperature at the production site at the time of shipment for the first production run on the day of production may be a predicted value calculated using a regression equation derived by variable analysis of past indoor temperature measurement data at the production site and meteorological information (outdoor temperature) for the location of the store on the date and time corresponding to this measurement data.

[0052] FIG. 7 shows an example of a scatter plot that plots indoor temperature measurement data for a particular store against meteorological information (outdoor temperature) for the location of the store at the date and time corresponding to this measurement data, and illustrates a line segment based on a regression equation derived by univariate analysis of indoor and outdoor temperatures.

[0053] It is preferable that the dough temperature calculation model equation representing the temperature change curve of refrigerated dough is derived in advance as an individual model equation corresponding to the type of refrigerated dough and stored in the production information storage unit 14b of the storage unit 14. This is because the specific heat, surface area, etc. differ depending on the type of refrigerated dough used in the bakery product to be manufactured, resulting in differences in the exponents included in the model equation.

[0054] The control unit 11 of the management computer device 10 generates control data for controlling the cooling unit 22 so that the dough temperature (particularly the dough core temperature) of the refrigerated dough 3 stored in the dough refrigerator 20 is maintained at the target refrigeration temperature calculated by the refrigeration temperature calculation unit 11b, and transmits the control data to the dough refrigerator 20 via the data communication unit (step S140).

[0055] The generation of control data by the management computer device 10, which is executed in steps S130 to S140, will now be described in more detail.

[0056] Fig. 8 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a production schedule for the day of production input to an in-store storage management system for refrigerated dough according to one embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 9 is a diagram showing an example of a change in dough temperature over time during the reheating period of the refrigerated dough in each production run in the production schedule shown in Fig. 8.

[0057] (1) When the control unit 11 of the management computer device 10 receives the production schedule, it activates the refrigeration temperature calculation unit 11b to obtain the duration of the reheating process of the refrigerated dough for each time period (production run) (reheating periods A, B, C) from the received production schedule, and obtains the dough temperature of the refrigerated dough at the end of the reheating process (target dough temperature) from the dough information stored in the memory unit 14. For example, in the case of reheating period A, the duration of the reheating process corresponds to the time from the start time t1 of the first production run to the end time t2 of the reheating process. The target dough temperature may be manually input into the input unit 15 by the baker in charge of production. (2) Next, refrigeration temperature calculation unit 11b acquires the indoor temperature (predicted value) of the production site in the store at the production start time of each production batch from indoor temperature prediction unit 11c. (3) Then, the refrigeration temperature calculation unit 11b inputs the indoor temperature (predicted value) at the production site obtained in (2) into the dough temperature calculation model equation for refrigerated dough described above to calculate the initial temperature of the refrigerated dough (i.e., the target refrigeration temperature) for each production run so that the temperature at the center of the refrigerated dough reaches the target dough temperature at the end of the reheating process for that production run. (4) Then, the control unit 11 of the management computer device 10 generates control data for controlling the temperature inside the refrigerator so that the dough temperature (dough core temperature) of the refrigerated dough 3 stored in the dough refrigerator 20 is maintained at the calculated target refrigeration temperature for the refrigerated dough. For example, when the room temperature is predicted to be (a°C) during the first production run shown in FIG. 8, the management computer device 10 generates control data for adjusting the temperature inside the refrigerator so that the center temperature of the refrigerated dough is maintained at the target refrigeration temperature (e.g., -1°C) calculated backwards by inputting the room temperature (a°C) into the dough temperature calculation model formula. On the other hand, when the room temperature is predicted to be (b°C) higher than (a°C) during the second production run shown in FIG. 8, the management computer device 10 generates control data for adjusting the temperature inside the refrigerator so that the center temperature of the refrigerated dough is maintained at the target refrigeration temperature (e.g., -3°C) calculated backwards by inputting the room temperature (b°C) into the dough temperature calculation model formula.

[0058] In addition, a model equation (dough temperature calculation model equation) that represents the curve of how the dough temperature of refrigerated dough changes over time depending on the ambient temperature (the room temperature at the production site) has an exponent derived for each type of refrigerated dough based on the results of actual measurements that have been tried in advance, and the management computer device 10 calculates the target refrigeration temperature of the refrigerated dough using the dough temperature calculation model equation that corresponds to the type of refrigerated dough specified in the production plan table.

[0059] The control unit 21 of the dough refrigerator 20 controls the cooling unit 22 of the dough refrigerator 20 using the control data generated by the above-mentioned method and the measurement data of the inside temperature, inside humidity, and dough core temperature acquired by the inside temperature sensor 24, inside humidity sensor 25, and dough temperature sensor (26, 27), thereby providing refrigerated dough in a refrigerated state so that the dough temperature after leaving the refrigerator reaches the target dough temperature at the time when the time length (reheating period) of the reheating process specified in the production schedule has elapsed (the end time of the reheating process). Therefore, after the worker takes out the refrigerated dough from the dough refrigerator, the difference in the working time due to the difference in the time for the dough temperature to reach the target dough temperature depending on the indoor temperature of the production site on the day of production can be eliminated, and the product can be shipped on time. In addition, the labor of frequently checking the dough temperature can be reduced, which has the effect of improving working efficiency.

[0060] Next, an example of a process flow will be described in which a production plan table for the day of production, which is used in the in-store storage management system for refrigerated bread dough according to one embodiment of the present invention, is created by the information processing server 30 in the store management center.

[0061] FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of an information processing server in a store management center according to this embodiment.

[0062] As shown in FIG. 10, the information processing server 30 of the store management center in this embodiment is composed of a general-purpose computer, and has a system control unit 31, a data storage unit 32, an input unit 33, an information display unit 34, an output unit 35, and a communication unit 36.

[0063] The information processing server 30 is further connected to a weather information providing server 50 that provides weather information including weather forecasts (numerical forecasts) via a communication network 5 including the Internet or the like.

[0064] The system control unit 31 has a central processing unit (CPU), a main memory device, and an auxiliary memory device (not shown), and by reading an OS (Operating System), specified programs, and various data and having the CPU execute them, it realizes each of the functional units described below and controls the entire server system including these functional units.

[0065] The data storage unit 32 stores various data including POS data of multiple stores managed by the store management center, prediction formulas and parameters for indoor temperatures of each store used to create a production schedule, and is provided with a storage area and a database according to the data contents described later. The data storage unit 32 may be configured with a non-volatile storage device such as an HDD (Hard Disk Drive) or an SSD (Solid State Drive). In addition, the data storage unit 32 does not have to be a single storage device, and may be multiple distributed storage devices connected via a communication network 5. In other words, the data storage unit 32 may be built in the information processing server 30 of the store management center or may be configured with a group of data servers connected via the communication network 5.

[0066] The input unit 33 is an input device for accepting various inputs, including instruction inputs, from users of the system, such as store managers and production managers, and may be composed of a keyboard, a pointing device such as a mouse, and / or a touchpad.

[0067] The information display unit 34 includes a display device that visually displays to the user the input screen generated by the system control unit 31, and the acquired information and calculation results. The information display unit 34 may be configured to share some of the functions with the input unit 33 as a touch panel combined with a touch pad that allows touch input.

[0068] The output unit 35 outputs the production plan table created by the system control unit 31 and other calculation results, etc. in a predetermined data format to a printer and / or a data writing device for writing to a computer-readable recording medium, and also outputs the created production plan table to the communication unit 36 ​​and transmits it to the management computer device 10 of the target store via the communication unit 36.

[0069] The communication unit 36 ​​is composed of communication devices for network connection with the management computer 10, the dough refrigerator 20, the POS terminal 40, the weather information server 50, etc., and functions as a communication interface. The communication unit 36 ​​includes, for example, a communication card for wired or wireless LAN (Local Area Network), Bluetooth (registered trademark), or Wi-Fi (registered trademark), and may also include a router for optical communication, a router for ADSL (Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line), or a modem for various types of communication.

[0070] In this embodiment, the system control unit 31 includes a sales quantity prediction unit 31a, a production planning table creation unit 31b, and a control data generation unit 31c as functional units realized by executing a predetermined software program on a CPU.

[0071] Furthermore, the system control unit 31 stores the POS data of the bakery products transmitted from the management computer device 10 of each store in a database of the sales record storage unit 32a provided in the data storage unit 32 in association with the weather information (weather, temperature, humidity, etc.) at the time of sale of the bakery products obtained from the weather information providing server 50. The POS data includes the name of the sold product, the price of the sold product, the date and day of the week when the product was sold, the name of the store where the product was sold, the number of products sold, etc.

[0072] The sales volume prediction unit 31a inputs the day of the week of the production date (scheduled production date) and the weather information (numerical forecast data) for the location of the store into a sales volume prediction model for each store that has been machine-learned using the POS data of the bakery products associated with weather information at the time of past sales, which is stored in the database of the sales record storage unit 32a, to calculate the planned sales volume of the bakery products by time period. The calculation process of the planned sales volume of the bakery products by time period by the sales volume prediction unit 31a may be automatically executed at a predetermined time every day by a pre-programmed routine. The calculated planned sales volume of the bakery products by time period is transmitted to the production plan table creation unit 31b.

[0073] The sales volume prediction model may be, but is not limited to, a prediction model (prediction function) created by machine learning using past sales records, such as sales volumes by day of the week and time period and meteorological information (weather, temperature, humidity) at the time of sale as teacher data. For example, a model formula derived by deep learning may be used. In order to reflect the regional characteristics of each store, it is preferable that the sales volume prediction model is created and learned for each store and stored in the production information storage unit 32b provided in the data storage unit 32. However, it is not limited to this, and a general-purpose model using the sales records of multiple sales stores may be created and used. The sales volume prediction model may be created for each bakery product item, or may be created as a model incorporating the item as an explanatory variable.

[0074] When an instruction to create a production plan for a specific store is input to the input unit 33 from a store manager, a production manager, etc., the production plan creation unit 31b reads out the production process master of the bakery product stored in advance in the production information storage unit 32b of the data storage unit 32, and creates a production plan for the bakery product based on the standard process times of each of the multiple processes included in the read production process master and the planned sales quantities of the bakery products by time period in the store calculated by the sales quantity prediction unit 31a.

[0075] In addition, the production schedule creation unit 31b creates a production schedule (timetable) for bakery products to be produced in each store, and may also create dough preparation instruction information that specifies the type and preparation amount of refrigerated dough to be stored in advance in the dough refrigerator 20 installed in the store, so that refrigerated dough reheated to a predetermined dough temperature is provided for bakery products whose production begins at the time specified in the created production schedule.

[0076] The production plan creation unit 31b may automatically create a production plan and dough preparation instruction information when it receives the sales quantities of bakery products by time period on the day of production calculated by a pre-programmed routine from the sales quantity prediction unit 31a without instructions from the store manager, production manager, etc.

[0077] The production plan created by the production plan creation unit 31b can be created in the form of a timetable in which the start time of each process is specified based on the standard process time of each of the multiple processes of the bakery products so that bakery products corresponding to the planned sales quantities for each time period are provided (baked) in each time period. The created production plan is sent to the management computer device 10 of the corresponding store, or to the control data generation unit 31c.

[0078] FIG. 11 is a flow chart showing the operational steps for creating a production plan table by the information processing server at the store management center according to this embodiment.

[0079] The information processing server 30 of the store management center according to this embodiment acquires weather information for the production date (scheduled production date) in the location of the store for which a production plan is to be created (step S210) from the weather information providing server 50, which has a weather forecast site and weather data site, either in response to an instruction input from the store manager or production manager, or as a pre-programmed routine process. The acquired weather information includes the weather, temperature, and humidity on the production date (scheduled production date). Note that in the case of the scheduled production date, the weather, temperature, and humidity are those indicated in the weather forecast (numerical forecast).

[0080] When the system control unit 31 of the information processing server 30 at the store management center acquires weather information from the weather information providing server 50, it activates the sales quantity prediction unit 31a to read out from the data storage unit 32 the sales quantity prediction model for the store to be created, and inputs the acquired weather information and the date and day of manufacture into the sales quantity prediction model to calculate the estimated sales quantities of bakery products by time period in the store (step S220).

[0081] When the system control unit 31 calculates the planned sales quantity by time period, it activates the production plan table creation unit 31b to read out the production process master of the bakery product from the production information storage unit 32b of the data storage unit 32, and creates a production plan table of the bakery product based on the standard process times of each of the multiple processes included in the production process master and the calculated sales quantity of the bakery product by time period (step S230).

[0082] The production schedule creation unit 31b creates a production schedule in the form of a timetable in which the start time of each process is specified based on the standard process time of each of the multiple processes of the bakery products so that bakery products corresponding to the planned sales quantities for each time period are provided (baked) in each time period. The created production schedule is transmitted to the management computer device 10 of the store for which the schedule is created or to the control data generation unit 31c (step S240).

[0083] The standard process time for each of the multiple processes included in the manufacturing process master may be extended or shortened to reflect the influence of weather information on the day of production. In this case, the production planning table creation unit 31b may apply (multiply) a correction coefficient derived from past performance data to the standard process time to calculate a corrected process time (referred to as the process time for that day), and create a production planning table in the form of a timetable in which the start time of each process is set by calculating backwards from the calculated process time for that day for each process, with the shipping time as the end point, so that bakery products corresponding to the planned sales quantity for each time period are provided (baked) in each time period.

[0084] Since the standard process time of each process included in the manufacturing process master increases or decreases depending on the production quantity, a calculation formula with the production quantity as an input variable may be derived in advance, and the planned sales quantity of bakery products by time period calculated by the sales quantity prediction unit 31a may be input into the calculation formula in place of the production quantity, thereby calculating the quantity-adjusted standard process time of each process.

[0085] Although an example of creating a production plan table and dough preparation instruction information by the information processing server 30 of the store management center has been described above, the present invention is not limited to this, and the process of creating a production plan table and dough preparation instruction information may be executed by the management computer device 10 on the store side. In this case, a program for executing these processes may be installed in advance in the management computer device 10 on the store side, and a set of sales performance data and a prediction model required for the creation may be stored in advance in the storage unit 14 (sales performance storage unit 14a) of the management computer device 10 of the store, and the management computer device 10 may be made to execute the same process as the information processing server 30 described above to create a production plan table and dough preparation instruction information.

[0086] The control data generating unit 11c of the information processing server 30 functions to generate control data for adjusting the temperature inside the dough refrigerator 20 in the store where the refrigerated dough is stored, based on the created production schedule and weather information on the day of production. If the store management computer device 10 does not have a function for generating control data, the system control unit 31 causes the control data generating unit 31c to function to generate control data, and the generated control data may be transmitted via the communication unit 36 ​​to the management computer device 10 of the specified store, or directly to the dough refrigerator 20 in the store.

[0087] The method for generating control data by the control data generating unit 31c of the information processing server 30 in the store management center is similar to the procedure executed by the management computer terminal 10 described above, so a duplicated explanation will be omitted.

[0088] FIG. 12 is a schematic diagram showing the overall configuration of an in-store storage management system for refrigerated bread dough according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0089] As shown in Fig. 12, in an in-store storage management system 1' for refrigerated dough according to another embodiment of the present invention, management computers (10a, 10b) installed in a plurality of stores are communicatively connected to an information processing server 30 at a store management center via a communication network 5 including the Internet or the like, and a refrigerated dough refrigerator and one or more POS terminals are connected to the management computers (10a, 10b) of each store. Specifically, a refrigerated dough refrigerator (20a), POS terminal 1 (40a) and POS terminal 2 (40b) are connected to the computer device (10a) of store A, and a refrigerated dough refrigerator (20b) and POS terminal 3 (40c) are connected to the computer device (10b) of store B.

[0090] The configurations of the management computer terminals (10a, 10b), dough refrigerators (20a, 20b), and POS terminals (40a to 40c) of each store are similar to those of the previously described embodiment, and therefore detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0091] The management computer device (10a, 10b) of each store may be configured to be accessible via the communication network 5 using a communication terminal (not shown) owned by the store manager or production manager in charge of each store, and the production plan table of the corresponding store stored in the management computer device (10a, 10b) may be configured to be viewable from the communication terminal. The communication terminal may be configured as a smartphone, a tablet terminal, or a computer terminal.

[0092] According to the in-store storage management system for refrigerated dough of the present invention, bakery products such as high-quality freshly baked bread can be produced in a timely and stable manner in the store according to the production schedule for the day of production. In addition, the temperature inside the dough refrigerator in the store is automatically controlled so that refrigerated dough that has been reheated to the optimal temperature according to the production schedule is provided, which makes the work more efficient and allows the provision of bakery products with little variation in production without relying on the experience of the craftsman.

[0093] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above with reference to the drawings, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments and can be modified in various ways without departing from the technical scope of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0094] 1, 1' In-store storage management system for refrigerated dough 3. Refrigerated dough 5. Communication Network 10, 10a, 10b Management computer equipment 11 Control section 11a Fabric information creation section 11b Refrigeration temperature calculation unit 11c Indoor temperature prediction section 12 Data Communications Department 13 Display section 14 Storage section 14a Sales information storage unit 14b Manufacturing information storage section 15 Input section 16 Sensor section 16a Temperature Sensor 16b Humidity sensor 20 Refrigerated dough refrigerator 20a, 20b Refrigerator body 21 Control unit 22 Cooling unit 23a, 23b Tray 24 Internal temperature sensor 25 Internal humidity sensor 26, 27 Fabric temperature sensor 30 Information Processing Server 31 System control section 31a Sales Volume Forecast Section 31b Production Planning Department 31c Control data generation unit 32 Data storage unit 32a Sales record memory section 32b Manufacturing information storage section 33 Input section 34 Information display section 35 Output section 36 Communications Department 40, 40a, 40b, 40c POS terminals 50 Weather information server 51 Numerical Weather Forecast Site 52 Weather data site

Claims

1. A store-wide storage management system for refrigerated dough, which manages the temperature inside a dough refrigerator installed in the store based on a production schedule for the day of production so that refrigerated dough used for bakery products produced in the store is provided in an optimally refrigerated state at the start time of the production of the bakery products, comprising: The in-store storage management system includes the dough refrigerator and a management computer device communicatively connected to the dough refrigerator, The management computer device includes: an input unit that accepts input of the production plan table; A sensor unit connected to a temperature sensor installed in the store; a refrigeration temperature calculation unit that calculates a target refrigeration temperature of the refrigerated dough stored in the dough refrigerator using a dough temperature calculation model equation that includes as input variables the duration of the reheating process of the refrigerated dough in the production run specified in the received production schedule, the amount of the refrigerated dough prepared, and the indoor temperature of the store acquired by the sensor unit, and that has as an output variable the dough temperature of the refrigerated dough at the end of the reheating process; a data communication unit that transmits control data including the calculated target refrigeration temperature to the dough refrigerator; A storage unit for storing dough information including the received production plan table, the dough temperature calculation model formula, and the heat transfer characteristic data of the refrigerated dough; a control unit for controlling the overall operation of the management computer device, the dough refrigerator controls a cooling unit of the dough refrigerator based on the control data transmitted from the management computer device so that the dough temperature of the stored refrigerated dough is maintained at the target refrigeration temperature; This is an in-store storage management system for refrigerated bread dough, characterized in that the production schedule includes the amount of refrigerated dough to be prepared for each production run, which are set at different time periods on the day of production, the start time of production, and the end time of the reheating process, which begins simultaneously with the start of production.

2. the refrigeration temperature calculation unit inputs a target dough temperature of the refrigerated dough at the end time of the reheating step of the production run specified in the production plan table into an output variable of the dough temperature calculation model formula, thereby back-calculating the dough temperature of the refrigerated dough at the start time of the production run, and sets the dough temperature of the refrigerated dough calculated by the back-calculation to the target refrigeration temperature; 2. The in-store storage management system for refrigerated bread dough according to claim 1, wherein the target dough temperature of the refrigerated bread dough at the end time of the reheating process is manually input to the input unit or is stored in advance in the memory unit.

3. 2. The in-store storage management system for refrigerated dough according to claim 1, wherein the dough refrigerator is equipped with a probe-type dough temperature sensor for measuring the central temperature of the refrigerated dough stored in the dough refrigerator, and a cooling unit of the dough refrigerator is controlled so that the central temperature of the refrigerated dough measured by the probe-type dough temperature sensor is maintained at the target refrigeration temperature.

4. The in-store storage management system for refrigerated dough as described in claim 1, characterized in that the management computer device continuously acquires the indoor temperature of the store from the sensor unit at a predetermined time interval after the start time of the production batch, inputs the acquired indoor temperature, the length of time for the reheating process of the refrigerated dough in the next production batch, and the amount of refrigerated dough to be prepared into the dough temperature calculation model formula to recalculate the target refrigeration temperature of the refrigerated dough, and transmits control data including the recalculated target refrigeration temperature to the dough refrigerator.

5. 2. The in-store storage management system for refrigerated bread dough according to claim 1, wherein the dough refrigerator has a plurality of refrigeration compartments, each of which is configured to be capable of independently controlling the temperature inside the compartment.

6. 2. The in-store storage management system for refrigerated dough according to claim 1, wherein the refrigerated dough is refrigerated after being divided into portions of dough that has undergone primary fermentation.

7. The in-store storage management system for refrigerated dough further includes an information processing server at a store management center that manages a plurality of stores; The in-store storage management system for refrigerated bread dough according to claim 1, characterized in that the management computer device is connected to the information processing server via a communication network and receives the production plan table from the information processing server via the data communication unit.

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