Information processing apparatus

Abstract

To comprehensively manage the storage and retrieval of a cabinet, such as who took what in and out of a cabinet, when, and whether the cabinet is being taken in or out. [Solution] A server 2 manages the entry and exit of items G into and from a cabinet 1. An authentication unit 61 of the server 2 attempts to authenticate whether a user U attempting to enter or exit a specific item from one or more items G into or from the storage unit 11 of the cabinet 1 is authorized to access the cabinet 1. When the specific item is entered or exited by a user U authenticated by the authentication unit 61, an information acquisition unit 60 acquires from the cabinet 1 the tag ID of an IC tag 17, which is information that can identify the specific item, and entry and exit information that indicates the entry and exit status of the specific item. A cabinet information management unit 66 manages the acquired tag ID of the IC tag 17, the entry and exit information of the item G, and the user information of the user U used for authentication, in association with each other.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus.

Background Art

[0002] Hitherto, IC tags have been used for managing articles in warehouses and the like. However, when a person takes an article out of the warehouse, only the history of the taken-out article can be recorded, and further improvement in functions is desired in the future. As a technology related to conventional IC tags, for example, a technology has been proposed in which information is read from each file stored in a plurality of cabinets to manage which file has been taken out from which cabinet and which cabinet it has been stored in (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, in the case of the above-described patented technology, although the movement of the article itself can be managed, it is not possible to manage who took out the article, etc., or to perform different take-out management according to the type or importance of the article.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of such a situation, and an object thereof is to comprehensively perform in-out management such as who, when, and what is taken in and out of the cabinet.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] To achieve the above object, an information processing apparatus according to an aspect of the present invention is An information processing apparatus that manages the incoming and outgoing of each of the one or more articles with respect to a cabinet having a storage unit capable of storing the one or more articles, authentication means for attempting to authenticate whether a user who attempts to take in and out a predetermined article among the one or more articles is a person permitted to access the cabinet; acquisition means for acquiring, from the cabinet, article identification information which is information capable of identifying the predetermined article and incoming / outgoing information indicating the incoming / outgoing status of the predetermined article when the predetermined article is taken in and out by the user authenticated by the authentication means; management means for managing the article identification information acquired by the acquisition means, the incoming / outgoing information, and the user information of the user used for authentication in association with each other; and comprising.

Effect of the Invention

[0007] According to the present invention, it becomes possible to comprehensively manage the incoming and outgoing management of the cabinet, such as who, when, and what is taken in and out of the cabinet or is to be taken in and out.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0008]

Figure 1

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Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0009] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of an information processing system including a server according to an embodiment of the information processing apparatus of the present invention.

[0010] The information processing system shown in FIG. 1 is configured by connecting a cabinet 1, a server 2, a management terminal 3, and a user terminal 4 to each other via a network N. This information processing system manages an article G that is stored in and taken out of the cabinet 1 and a user U who stores and takes out the article G, and is used for services such as rental lockers. The server 2 manages information on the article G stored in and taken out of the cabinet 1 and information on the user U who stores and takes out the article G. The management terminal 3 can view the management status of the cabinet 1 by being operated by an administrator. The user terminal 4 is a terminal for making a reservation from the Web when the user U uses the cabinet 1.

[0011] Here, the cabinet 1 will be described. The cabinet 1 has a storage section 11. The storage section 11 is partitioned by a plurality of shelves, and each of the plurality of articles G can be placed on each shelf. An opening 12 is provided in the storage section 11. The opening 12 can be opened and closed by a door 13. In the cabinet 1, when the door 13 is opened, the article G can be put into and taken out of the storage section 11 through the opening 12.

[0012] An IC tag 17 is attached to the article G. The IC tag 17 is, for example, an RFID (Radio Frequency IDentifier) using the HF (High Frequency) band, and is composed of a memory element (IC chip) storing individual identification information (hereinafter referred to as "tag ID") and an antenna in one chip. The IC tag 17 is also called a wireless tag. The IC tag 17 exchanges information with an IC tag communication device such as an IC tag reader using radio waves (in this example, the IC tag communication section 41 in FIG. 3 described later) through short-range wireless communication. The short range refers to the storage range of the cabinet 1. That is, in this example, each of one or more articles G stored in the cabinet 1 and subject to incoming and outgoing is managed so as to be identifiable by the tag ID of the IC tag 17 attached thereto.

[0013] A card reader 15 and a touch panel 16 are provided on the surface of the door 13. The card reader 15 is, for example, a non-contact IC card information reading device, and reads information from an IC card 14 approaching within several centimeters. The IC card 14 is, for example, a card-shaped recording medium in which card information including user identification information such as a card number, an expiration date, and a user ID is stored in an IC chip. When the IC card 14 is brought close to the card reader 15, the information of the IC chip is read by the card reader 15 and used for user authentication. The touch panel 16 is a touch-operable display. When touch operations are not required, a simple display may be sufficient. The functions of the other components of the cabinet 1 will be described in detail in the description of FIG. 3 below.

[0014] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the hardware configuration of the server 2 in the information processing system of FIG. 1. As shown in FIG. 2, the server 2 is a computer including a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 21, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 22, a RAM (Random Access Memory) 23, a bus 24, an input / output interface 25, an output unit 27, an input unit 28, a storage unit 29, a communication unit 30, and a drive 31.

[0015] The CPU 21 executes various processes according to programs recorded in the ROM 22 or programs loaded from the storage unit 29 into the RAM 23. The RAM 23 also appropriately stores data and the like necessary for the CPU 21 to execute various processes.

[0016] The CPU 21, ROM 22, and RAM 23 are interconnected via the bus 24. The input / output interface 25 is also connected to this bus 24. The output unit 27, input unit 28, storage unit 29, communication unit 30, and drive 31 are connected to the input / output interface 25.

[0017] The output unit 27 is composed of a display such as a liquid crystal display and outputs (displays) information to be output (such as a reservation site or advertisement for reserving the use of the cabinet 1). The output unit 27 also includes a printer, an external output interface, and the like. The input unit 28 includes various hardware buttons and the like, and accepts various information input according to the instruction operations of the user.

[0018] The storage unit 29 is composed of a DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory) or the like and stores various data. The communication unit 30 is, for example, a LAN interface or the like, and communicates with other devices (such as the management terminal 3 and the user terminal 4 in the example of FIG. 1) via a network N including the Internet.

[0019] The drive 31 is provided as necessary. A removable medium 32 made of, for example, a magnetic disk, an optical disk, a magneto-optical disk, or a semiconductor memory is appropriately mounted on the drive 31, and data and programs are read from and written to the removable medium 32. The program read from the removable medium 32 by the drive 31 is installed in the storage unit 29 as necessary. Further, the removable medium 32 can also store various data stored in the storage unit 29 in the same manner as the storage unit 29.

[0020] Note that the hardware of, for example, the management terminal 3 and the user terminal 4 other than the server 2 is substantially the same as that of the server 2, and the illustration thereof is omitted. The management terminal 3 is provided with a touch operation input unit if it is, for example, a notebook computer (notebook PC) or a tablet terminal. The touch operation input unit constitutes a touch panel in which the input unit 28 and the output unit 27 are integrated.

[0021] Next, the functional configuration of the information processing system will be described with reference to FIG. 3. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the functional configuration of the information processing system of FIG. 1.

[0022] As shown in FIG. 3, the cabinet 1 includes an IC tag communication unit 41, a storage information storage unit 42, a card reader 15, a touch panel 16, a communication unit 45, a door sensor 43, a locking unit 47, an alert unit 48, and a control unit 49.

[0023] The IC tag communication unit 41 exchanges information with the IC tag 17 attached to the article G by short-range wireless communication (within the accommodation range of the cabinet 1). The storage information storage unit 42 stores information on the articles G deposited in the cabinet 1 by the user U and information on the articles G taken out from the cabinet 1 by the user U. That is, the storage information storage unit 42 stores information on the articles G that have been in and out of the cabinet 1.

[0024] The card reader 15 reads the information on the IC card 14. As the IC card 14, for example, a first authentication card such as an unlocking IC card used only for unlocking the door 13 is used. In addition, a second authentication card (referred to as a "permission card") indicating that the user U has passed an alcohol check and been permitted by the checker can also be used when the user U is checked by the checker and permitted. The touch panel 16 displays the information provided by the server 2 and accepts input through the touch operation of the user U.

[0025] The communication unit 45 is, for example, a LAN interface, and communicates with other devices (such as the server 2 in the example of FIG. 1) via a network N including the Internet. The door sensor 43 detects the opening and closing of the door 13. The locking unit 47 locks the closed door 13. The locking unit 47 is controlled by the control unit 49 to lock or unlock the door 13.

[0026] The alert unit 48 is, for example, a buzzer or a speaker, and issues an alert (alarm) in the form of sound or the like according to the alert information (control signal) provided by the server 2. Specifically, the alert unit 48 controls the cabinet 1 to output an alarm when the closing of the door 13 is not detected for a certain period of time after the opening of the door 13 is detected by the door sensor 43.

[0027] Note that the certain period of time, which is the time limit, can be changed to an arbitrary time by changing the setting. Also, depending on the setting of the cabinet 1, the alert information can be displayed on the touch panel 16 in the form of a message or an object. The control unit 49 controls each part of the cabinet 1 according to the control information received from the server 2.

[0028] Server 2 is connected to a cabinet 1 having a storage unit 11 capable of receiving and delivering articles G via a network N. A management information storage unit 51 for managing information on the cabinet 1 is provided in the storage unit 29 of the server 2. An article management table is provided in the management information storage unit 51. The article management table is a table in which article identification information corresponds to and stores article information such as the name and type of the article G and attribute information indicating a specific article. The article identification information includes an article ID which is identification information for identifying individual articles G, a tag ID of the IC tag 17 attached to the article G, and the like. As a specific article, for example, a car key or the like is applicable. A flag indicating a specific article is assigned to the attribute information of the specific article. An incoming / outgoing management table is provided in the management information storage unit 51. The incoming / outgoing management table stores current inventory information and the like of the article G in the cabinet 1. The current inventory information is, for example, the article ID and quantity of the article G stored in the cabinet 1. A reservation table is provided in the management information storage unit 51. The reservation table stores the reservation date and time, the article ID, the storage location of the article G in the storage unit 11, and the like. A history management table is provided in the management information storage unit 51. The history management table stores the article ID of the article G that has been received and delivered, the incoming / outgoing date and time, and the like. A user management table is provided in the management information storage unit 51. User authentication information is stored in the user management table. The user authentication information includes the user ID of the user U registered as a member and card information.

[0029] The management information storage unit 51 is provided with a cabinet management table. In the cabinet management table, information associating user information, article identification information, and incoming / outgoing information for which user authentication has been successful is stored. In addition, in the cabinet management table, for example, the opening / closing status of door 13 of cabinet 1, the locking status of the locking unit 47, the operating status of the card reader 15 and the IC tag communication unit 41, etc. are stored. The incoming / outgoing information includes a status indicating whether article G has been received or shipped out, and date information such as the incoming date and time, the shipping date and time, etc. The date information also includes the time, etc.

[0030] The CPU 21 of the server 2 functions as an information acquisition unit 60, an authentication unit 61, a reservation control unit 62, an article management unit 63, a user management unit 64, a history management unit 65, a cabinet information management unit 66, a cabinet control unit 67, a website publishing unit 68, etc.

[0031] The information acquisition unit 60 acquires user information, which is information regarding the user U, from cabinet 1. When authentication by the authentication unit 61 is successful based on the acquired user information, when a predetermined article among one or more articles G is incoming / outgoing by the user U, the information acquisition unit 60 acquires article identification information, which is information capable of identifying the predetermined article, and incoming / outgoing information indicating the incoming / outgoing status of the predetermined article from cabinet 1.

[0032] The authentication unit 61 attempts to authenticate that the user U who attempts to incoming / outgoing to / from the storage unit 11 of cabinet 1 for a predetermined article among one or more articles G is a person whose access to cabinet 1 is permitted.

[0033] Here, the permission to access the cabinet 1 includes both the following first permission and second permission. That is, the first permission means permission to access the entire cabinet 1, that is, permission for the receipt and delivery of all one or more articles G that can be accommodated in the cabinet 1. The second permission means permission for the receipt and delivery of only a predetermined article among one or more articles G that can be accommodated in the cabinet 1, that is, permission to access the cabinet 1 for the purpose of receipt and delivery of the predetermined article.

[0034] Specifically, for example, in this example, it is assumed that the above-described first permission is adopted. Also, among the users U, for those users whose access to the cabinet 1 is permitted, it is assumed that their user IDs are registered in advance as part of the user information in the user management table of the management information storage unit 51. Also, it is assumed that all users U hold the IC card 14 in which the user ID is stored as described above.

[0035] In this case, when the user U receives and delivers the article G (predetermined article) to and from the cabinet 1, the user U holds his / her IC card 14 in front of the card reader 15 provided in the cabinet 1. Then, the card reader 15 reads the user ID from the IC card 14 and transmits it to the server 2. Therefore, the information acquisition unit 60 acquires this user ID.

[0036] The authentication unit 61 determines whether the user ID acquired by the information acquisition unit 60 is registered in advance in the user management table of the management information storage unit 51. When the authentication unit 61 determines that the user ID acquired by the information acquisition unit 60 is registered in advance in the user management table of the management information storage unit 51, it determines that access to the cabinet 1 is permitted to the user U, and outputs "authentication successful" as the authentication result.

[0037] On the other hand, when the authentication unit 61 determines that the user ID acquired by the information acquisition unit 60 is not registered in advance, it determines that access to the cabinet 1 is not permitted to the user U, and outputs "authentication failed" as the authentication result. Note that the authentication process by the authentication unit 61 includes both the case where access is permitted for the entire cabinet and the case where access is permitted for each article.

[0038] In addition to the IC card 14 for user authentication, a permission card 14a (second authentication card), which is an IC card in which second user information for person authentication indicating that the user U has been alcohol-checked and is a permitted person, is also available. The second user information includes a user ID and a flag indicating that the alcohol check has been completed.

[0039] In this case, when the authentication unit 61 performs user authentication (first authentication) using the user ID of the IC card 14 read by the card reader 15, and the article G to be shipped is a specific article (such as a car key), the authentication unit 61 further performs user authentication (second authentication) using the second user information read by the card reader 15 from a permission card 14a different from the IC card 14, and outputs "authentication successful" or "authentication failed" as the authentication result after undergoing two-step authentication in this way. The second authentication by the permission card 14a is a process of confirming whether the user ID is the same as that in the first authentication and whether it is flagged.

[0040] The reservation control unit 62 accepts reservations for the entry and exit of predetermined articles to the cabinet 1. Specifically, when reservation information including the scheduled use date (date and time) and article information (article type, size, etc.) is input into the reservation form on the Web site of the reservation service, the reservation control unit 62 accepts the reservation information. Based on the accepted reservation information, the reservation control unit 62 refers to the entry / exit information (current inventory information) in the management information storage unit 51 and the reservation information in the reservation table to determine whether the reservation is possible. If the determination result is that the reservation is possible, the reservation control unit 62 presents a message prompting the user to make a reservation. After presenting the message prompting the reservation, when the user performs an operation to confirm the reservation, the reservation control unit 62 determines that the reservation is confirmed and registers the reservation information in the reservation table.

[0041] Whether it is available for reservation is determined based on whether there is available space in the storage unit 11 in the cabinet 1 on the reservation date, using the incoming and outgoing information (current inventory information) in the management information storage unit 51 and the reservation information in the reservation table.

[0042] The article management unit 63 manages the incoming and outgoing information (inventory information) of the article G in the cabinet 1 in the incoming and outgoing management table. Specifically, the article management unit 63 adds and subtracts the quantity corresponding to the article ID in the incoming and outgoing management table, taking the article G stored in the cabinet 1 as incoming (receiving) and the article G taken out from the cabinet 1 as outgoing (shipping), to manage the inventory status of the article G in the cabinet 1. The user management unit 64 manages the user information of the user U in the user management table. The user information includes the user ID and password for identifying the user U, and the card information of the IC card 14 pre-registered by the user U. The card information includes, for example, the card number, expiration date, etc.

[0043] The history management unit 65 manages the incoming and outgoing history (article ID, tag ID of the incoming and outgoing article G, and the date and time of incoming and outgoing) of the article G incoming and outgoing from the cabinet 1 in the incoming and outgoing history table.

[0044] Based on the result of user authentication by the authentication unit 61, the cabinet information management unit 66 associates the user information, article identification information, and incoming and outgoing information of the user who has successfully passed user authentication, and stores them in the cabinet management table of the management information storage unit 51, and manages the state of the cabinet 1 in the cabinet management table.

[0045] In addition, the cabinet management table stores detection information obtained from the cabinet 1, such as the opening and closing state of the door 13 of the cabinet 1 (open, elapsed time since the door 13 was opened, closed, etc.), the state of the locking unit 47 (locked, unlocking), the operating states of the card reader 15 and the IC tag communication unit 41 (communicable, abnormal, etc.), and these situations are managed by the cabinet information management unit 66.

[0046] The cabinet control unit 67 controls each part of the cabinet 1 via the control unit 49 of the cabinet 1 based on the information acquired from the cabinet 1 by the information acquisition unit 60, the authentication result of the authentication unit 61, the information in the cabinet management table, etc. The cabinet control unit 67 transmits control information for controlling each part of the cabinet 1 to the cabinet 1 through the communication unit 30 and the network N.

[0047] The website publishing unit 68 publishes a website on the network N (Web). Web is an abbreviation for World Wide Web. In this example, as the website, for example, a cabinet management website accessed from the management terminal 3 and a website accessed from the user terminal 4 (referred to as the "reservation site") are published. On the reservation site, a service for reserving the incoming and outgoing of the article G to / from the cabinet 1 is provided.

[0048] The management terminal 3 is a terminal operated by the administrator of this information processing system and has a communication unit 71, a CPU 72, an input unit 73, and an output unit 74. The communication unit 71 is, for example, a LAN interface and communicates with other devices (such as the server 2 in the example of FIG. 1) via a network N including the Internet.

[0049] The CPU 72 reads out a program such as a web browser installed in the storage unit and functions as a browsing unit 81. The browsing unit 81 accesses the cabinet 1 management website published by the server 2 and logs in as an administrator, so that the management page provided by the server 2 is provided, and the management information in various tables of the management information storage unit 51 can be browsed and edited. The input unit 73 is a keyboard, a mouse, etc. The output unit 74 is a display, etc.

[0050] The user terminal 4 includes a browsing unit 101 as functions of an input unit 93, an output unit 94, and a CPU 92. The input unit 73 is a keyboard, a mouse, etc. The output unit 74 is a display, etc.

[0051] The browsing unit 101 enables the user U to operate the input unit 93, access the reservation website (reservation site) of the reservation service published by the server 2, and log in, so that the reservation form of the reservation site provided by the server 2 is displayed on the output unit 94 (display), and the input of reservation information becomes possible.

[0052] Subsequently, referring to FIGS. 4 to 7, various operations of the information processing system will be described. First, referring to FIG. 4, as a first operation example of this information processing system, for example, the basic operation will be described. In this information processing system, when the user U makes a reservation to use the cabinet 1, or before that, it is necessary for the user terminal 4 to register as a member from the reservation site. By the user U registering as a member in advance, a user ID is issued to the member and notified to the user U. The information of the user U who has registered as a member is stored in the user management table of the management information storage unit 51 of the server 2.

[0053] When the article G is stored in the cabinet 1, information of the article G to be stored in advance, such as information of a sealed document, etc. (article ID, article type, size, attribute information, etc.) is registered in the IC tag 17. Then, in step S1 of FIG. 4, the user U attaches the IC tag 17 to the article G to be stored and brings the article G to the installation location of the cabinet 1.

[0054] Subsequently, in step S2, when the user U holds the unlocking IC card 14 over the card reader 15 of the cabinet 1, the card reader 15 reads the card information from the IC card 14, accepts the read card information as user information, and transmits it to the server 2 through the communication unit 45.

[0055] In the server 2, when the user information transmitted from the cabinet 1 is received by the information acquisition unit 60 through the communication unit 30, the authentication unit 61 collates the received user information with the user information in the user information management table of the management information storage unit 51 to authenticate the user.

[0056] As a result of user authentication, when the mutual user information matches and the user authentication is successful, the cabinet control unit 67 outputs control information to the cabinet 1 to unlock it, and controls the locking unit 47 through the communication unit 45 and the control unit 49 of the cabinet 1. Upon receiving the above information, the locking unit 47 unlocks the door 13. As a result, in step S3, the user U can open the door 13 of the cabinet 1 by himself / herself and store the brought item G.

[0057] When the item G is stored, information is exchanged between the IC tag 17 attached to the item G and the IC tag communication unit 41, and the information of the IC tag 17 is transmitted to the server 2. In the server 2, when the information of the IC tag 17 is received, the cabinet information management unit 66 refers to each table in the management information storage unit 51 based on the received information of the IC tag 17, generates item management information of the stored item G, and stores it in the inventory management table. The item management information is information in which, for example, an item ID, item type, item name, tag ID, attribute information (a flag is assigned to a specific item such as a car key), user ID, storage date and time, status (in storage or in stock), etc. are associated. In addition, when the position of the item G stored in the cabinet (such as the shelf number of which shelf level in the storage unit 11 or the frame number such as the nth frame from the right) is specified, the storage position of the item G is also stored as one of the item management information.

[0058] In this way, the information of the item G stored (or taken out) can be accessed by the administrator from the management terminal 3 to the Web site for cabinet management published by the server 2 in step S4, and by logging in as the administrator, the front page (the top screen for system management) for the server 2 to manage the information of the cabinet 1 is displayed on the management terminal 3. Therefore, it becomes possible to view the management information of various tables in the management information storage unit 51 from the front page, and the storage status of the item G in the cabinet 1 can be confirmed at a glance.

[0059] Next, referring to FIG. 5, as a second operation example of this information processing system, an alert operation when, for example, user U forgets to close door 13 when depositing article G in cabinet 1 will be described. In this case, when authentication is successful through user authentication by the IC card 14, the locking of door 13 of cabinet 1 is unlocked. Thus, user U opens door 13 and stores article G as in step S11 of FIG. 5.

[0060] At this time, in cabinet 1, door sensor 43 detects the opening of door 13. Detection information indicating this opening of door 13 is notified to server 2 through communication unit 45. In server 2, cabinet control unit 67 that has received the detection information indicating the opening of door 13 starts a timer operation in step S12.

[0061] Then, when a preset fixed time elapses without receiving detection information indicating the closing of door 13, cabinet control unit 67 transmits alert information (control signal) to alert unit 48 of cabinet 1 so as to output an alarm, and in step S13, causes alert unit 48 to output an alarm. Outputting an alarm means, for example, emitting an alarm sound or a voice message from alert unit 48, or displaying a message such as "Please close the door properly" on touch panel 16.

[0062] Thereby, user U can become aware that door 13 has been forgotten to be closed or door 13 is not properly closed, and can properly close and lock door 13. As described above, according to this second operation example, loss of article G stored in cabinet 1 can be prevented and security can be improved.

[0063] Next, referring to FIG. 6, as a third operation example of this information processing system, an operation when user U takes out a specific article (car key) deposited in cabinet 1 from cabinet 1 will be described. In this case, as shown in FIG. 6, when the user U holds the unlocking IC card 14 over the card reader 15 of the cabinet 1, the card reader 15 reads the card information from the IC card 14, accepts the read card information as user information, and transmits it to the server 2 through the communication unit 45.

[0064] At the server 2, when the user information transmitted from the cabinet 1 is received by the communication unit 30, the authentication unit 61 collates the received user information with the user information in the user information management table of the management information storage unit 51 to perform user authentication.

[0065] As a result of the user authentication, if the user information matches and the user authentication is successful, next, in step S22, the authentication unit 61 refers to the article management information in the inventory management table of the management information storage unit 51 to determine whether a flag is attached to the attribute information of the article G stored by the user U. In this example, since the car key is a specific article, a flag is attached to the attribute information.

[0066] Thus, when the article G associated with the user information for which the user authentication has been successful by the authentication unit 61, that is, the article G to be shipped out from the cabinet 1, is a specific article (car key) with a flag attached to the attribute information, the cabinet control unit 67 controls the cabinet 1 to acquire the second user information (card information of the permission card 14a, which is an IC card for alcohol check authentication passed after an alcohol check).

[0067] Specifically, the cabinet control unit 67 causes the touch panel 16 to display a message prompting the user to hold the permission card 14a over the card reader 15 of the cabinet 1, and activates the card reader 15.

[0068] In step S23, when the user U who has confirmed the above message holds the permission card 14a passed from the permitted person (such as an administrator) over the card reader 15 as a result of performing the alcohol check, the card reader 15 reads the card information of the permission card 14a, accepts the read card information as the second user information, and transmits it to the server 2 through the communication unit 45.

[0069] At the server 2, when the second user information transmitted from the cabinet 1 is received by the communication unit 30, the authentication unit 61 collates the received second user information with the card information of the permission card 14a set in advance to perform the second user authentication.

[0070] As a result of the second user authentication, when the mutual information matches and the second user authentication is successful, the cabinet control unit 67 controls the locking unit 47 via the control unit 49 of the cabinet 1 to unlock. By this control, the locking unit 47 unlocks the locking of the door 13. When the locking of the door 13 is unlocked, in step S24, the user U can open the door 13 of the cabinet 1 by himself / herself, take out the key of the deposited car, and drive the car home.

[0071] As described above, according to this third operation example, when the user U takes out the article G from the cabinet 1, if the stored article G is a specific article (such as a car key), by performing two-factor authentication using the unlocking IC card 14 and the permission card 14a, the management of the article G can be performed more securely. Here, as an example, an example in which "car key" is set as a specific article has been described, but in addition, for example, valuables, drugs, confidential documents, drugs, etc. may be set as specific articles.

[0072] Next, referring to FIG. 7, as a fourth operation example of this information processing system, the operation when the user U makes a reservation to use the cabinet 1 will be described. In this case, at the server 2, the website publishing unit 68 publishes a reservation site (website) that provides a service for reserving the entry and exit of the article G to the cabinet 1 on the network N.

[0073] User U operates the user terminal 4 to activate the browsing unit 101, and by entering the address (URL) of the reservation site into the browser screen displayed on the user terminal 4 by the activated browsing unit 101, the browsing unit 101 accesses the reservation site. As a result, a screen of the reservation site is displayed on the user terminal 4 as in step S31. Then, User U enters the pre-issued user ID and password into the member login field of the reservation site and logs in as a member.

[0074] Then, in step S32, since a reservation form is displayed on the browser screen, after entering reservation information (the date and time of using Cabinet 1 and information on the item G for which receipt and delivery are desired (type and size of the item, etc.)) into the displayed reservation form, a button operation such as "Inquiry" is performed.

[0075] Then, in the server 2, the reservation control unit 62 receives the reservation information entered in the reservation form, and based on the received reservation information, determines whether Cabinet 1 can be used on the reservation date from the receipt and delivery information (inventory information) in the receipt and delivery management table of item G in Cabinet 1 in the management information storage unit 51 and the information in the reservation table.

[0076] As a result of this determination, if Cabinet 1 can be used, in step S33, the reservation control unit 62 causes the user terminal 4 to display a message prompting confirmation such as "Do you want to make a reservation?" together with the reservation information.

[0077] When User U who has confirmed this message determines to make a reservation, User U operates the "Reservation Confirmation Button", and the reservation control unit 62 determines that the reservation is confirmed, accepts the instruction operation, stores the reservation information in the reservation table of the management information storage unit 51, and completes the reservation in step S34.

[0078] In addition, if the reservation in the input reservation information is unavailable as a result of the determination, the reservation control unit 62 displays, in step S35, a message prompting a selection such as "Reservation not possible. Do you want to check other dates? End?" together with the reservation information.

[0079] In response to this message, if checking other dates, in step S36, by performing an operation to return to the reservation form, since the reservation form displayed in step S32 is shown on the browser screen, input will be performed again.

[0080] As described above, according to this fourth operation example, the user U can reserve the use of the cabinet 1 without going to the installation location of the cabinet 1 or the operating company of the cabinet 1, so the convenience of the user U can be improved. Also, since the reservation information can be managed on the server 2 side, in the future, it is possible to perform inventory management of the cabinet 1 such as who, when, and what is taken in and out of the cabinet 1.

[0081] As described above, according to the present embodiment, when lending out the article G from the cabinet 1, PC operations and the like are unnecessary. The history of taking out and returning the article G from the cabinet 1 is automatically recorded, and the storage status can always be grasped without omission, and physical inventory and the like are also unnecessary. Also, only the IC card registrant can unlock the cabinet 1, preventing unauthorized taking out, information leakage, and loss, and enhancing security. That is, it is possible to comprehensively perform inventory management such as who, when, and what is taken in and out of the cabinet 1 or whether to take in and out.

[0082] In addition to the above embodiment, the following functions and utilization methods are also conceivable. In the above embodiment, an example of reserving the use of the cabinet 1 on the reservation site was described. However, in addition to this, for example, it may be used for reserving a shared part for sharing in an apartment. When using the cabinet 1 for the rental service of the item G, when the item G is returned within the rental period when the item G is lent out, or when the scheduled return date approaches, it may be possible to notify the user terminal 4. When placing the cabinet 1 in the office, by displaying advertisements for products used in the office on the touch panel or display provided on the cabinet 1, it is possible to receive orders for office products from the office. It can be utilized for bulletin boards, etc. in the office where the cabinet 1 is placed. A display may be arranged on the entire surface of the door 13 of the cabinet 1. As a system that sets the cabinet 1 and a vending machine, by simultaneously lending rental items and selling products, all the information of those who borrowed the rental items and those who bought the products can be collected and used for user analysis. It is also possible to assume a rental service for umbrellas using the cabinet 1 and its use in a university co-op. Also, it becomes possible to sell alcohol with two-factor authentication using multiple IC cards. When storing confidential documents in the cabinet 1, a unlocking permission corresponding to the user U may be set to limit the people who can take them out. In the above embodiment, the IC card 14 was used for user authentication, but user authentication may be performed by biometric authentication or the like.

[0083] Rather than making it impossible to take out items from the cabinet 1, after the item is taken out, the cabinet 1 may be locked, and the item G may not be able to be returned to the cabinet 1 unless the IC card 14 is held up. After the item G is taken out from the cabinet 1, the door of the room where the cabinet 1 is placed may be locked. Place the cabinet 1 at the company's entrance and exit, and when an employee leaves, store the IC tag 17 or the medium with the IC tag 17 attached in the cabinet 1, and when coming to work, take out the medium from the cabinet 1, and it may be operated as an alternative to a time card.

[0084] In the above embodiment, the IC tag 17 is used as the individual identification means. However, the individual identification means is not limited to the embodiment, and any other mechanism may be used as long as it can identify individuals. The individual identification means may be, for example, NFC, QR code, etc. QR code is a registered trademark.

[0085] In addition to the door closing reminder alert, for example, when an item G is taken out of the cabinet 1 and the items inside the cabinet 1 are decreasing, an alert may be output. In this case, the weight of the item G in the cabinet 1 is measured, the free space in the storage section is measured, or the remaining quantity of the number of items is detected, and an alert is output when the measured value or the detected number (remaining quantity) is less than or equal to a preset threshold value. For example, medical supplies or drugs are stored in the cabinet 1, and when the medical supplies or drugs are running low, operations such as contacting a pharmaceutical company can be considered. The cabinet 1 can be utilized for a delivery service, and when the delivery container is returned to the cabinet 1, an alert may be output to the address of the store. An operation as an unmanned vending machine can also be considered.

[0086] (Second Embodiment) Hereinafter, a second embodiment of the information processing apparatus according to the present invention will be described. First, with reference to FIGS. 8 to 10, the functional configuration of the cabinet in the information processing system including the information processing apparatus of the second embodiment will be described. FIG. 8 is a diagram showing the functional configuration of the cabinet in the information processing system according to the second embodiment of the information processing apparatus of the present invention. FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an example of the arrangement of cameras for imaging the cabinet of FIG. 8. FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of the UV light irradiation section inside the cabinet of FIG. 8. In FIG. 8, the functional configurations of information processing apparatuses other than the cabinet, such as the server 2, the management terminal 3, and the user terminal 4, are the same as those in FIG. 3 of the first embodiment, and are abbreviated by frames (block diagrams) of their respective names. Also, for the configuration of the cabinet, the same functional configurations as those in FIG. 3 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and their descriptions are omitted.

[0087] (Camera Link Function) As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, a camera 18 is connected to the cabinet 1. As shown in FIG. 9, the camera 18 is installed with its optical axis directed toward the housing portion 11 of the cabinet 1. Specifically, the camera 18 is fixed, for example, to a wall or the like at the location where the cabinet 1 is installed so as to image the opening / closing area of the door 13 of the cabinet 1. The camera link function is realized by the storage information storage unit 42, the door sensor 43, and the control unit 49. The control unit 49 controls the camera 18. Specifically, the control unit 49 controls the camera 18 to start imaging when the opening of the door 13 is detected by the door sensor 43, and to stop imaging when the closing of the door 13 is detected by the door sensor 43. While the control unit 49 detects at least an operation of storing or retrieving the article G by the door sensor 43, the control unit 49 stores the image captured by the camera 18 in the storage information storage unit 42. With this camera link function, when the user U operates to store or retrieve the article G, it is possible to leave video as evidence in the storage / retrieval record by automatically recording the video including the user U. Further, it can be used for confirmation and discrimination of a person when a user other than the person who unlocks (opens / closes) the door 13 stores or retrieves the article G.

[0088] The cabinet 1 includes a fingerprint sensor 111, a UV light irradiation unit 112, and a printer 113. (Biometric Authentication Function) The biometric authentication function is realized by the fingerprint sensor 111 provided on the door 13 of the cabinet 1, the control unit 49 provided in the cabinet 1, and the authentication unit 61 of the server 2. The fingerprint sensor 111 authenticates the biometric information of the user U. Specifically, the fingerprint sensor 111 detects a fingerprint. The fingerprint sensor 111 is controlled by the control unit 49. When the fingerprint read by the fingerprint sensor 111 is authenticated by the authentication unit 61 of the server 2 and, as a result, is permitted, the control unit 49 controls to open the door 13. That is, the control unit 49 performs opening and closing control of the door 13 by fingerprint authentication (biometric authentication).

[0089] When the fingerprint registered in advance and the fingerprint read by the fingerprint sensor 111 match, the authentication unit 61 outputs permission to the control unit 49 as an authentication result. In this embodiment, biometric authentication is performed using fingerprints. However, in addition to this, for example, by providing a sensor that detects voice, retina, face, blood vessels, etc., other biometric authentication may be performed. Also, a plurality of biometric authentications may be combined, or any of these biometric authentications may be combined with authentication using the IC card 14.

[0090] As a pattern for authenticating the user when opening and closing the cabinet 1, for example, a pattern adopted by the company introducing the cabinet 1 can be considered. The authentication of the user by the IC card 14 (authentication card) described in the first embodiment is a technology for authenticating the user by something that only the user himself / herself should have. Also, biometric authentication is a technology for authenticating using the physical characteristics of the user himself / herself. Furthermore, authentication IC card + biometric authentication is a two-factor authentication that combines the above authentication technologies. By adopting any of these authentication technologies or a combination of authentication technologies, the security and authentication level can be enhanced.

[0091] (Epidemic prevention storage function) The epidemic prevention storage function is realized by a door sensor 43 that detects the opening or closing of the door 13 of the cabinet 1, a UV light irradiation unit 112 arranged in the storage unit 11, a control unit 49 that controls the UV light irradiation unit 112, and the like. The control unit 49 controls the UV light irradiation unit 112. Specifically, the control unit 49 controls the UV light irradiation unit 112 to turn on the UV light from when the closing of the door sensor 43 is detected by the door sensor 43 until the opening is detected. In other words, the control unit 49 turns on the UV light only while the cabinet 1 is closed.

[0092] The UV light irradiation unit 112 irradiates a light for sterilizing the inside of the storage unit. The UV light irradiation unit 112 is, for example, an ultraviolet sterilization lamp (low-pressure mercury lamp) or the like, and is installed inside the cabinet 1.

[0093] Specifically, as shown in FIG. 10, the UV light irradiation unit 112 is disposed on the ceiling portion of one of the frame portions 121 that form a plurality of storage compartments inside the cabinet 1. UV is an abbreviation for Ultra Violet. Among the wavelength regions of UV, UV in the UV-C region (100 to 280 nm) exhibits a sterilizing effect, and in particular, UV around 260 nm acts most strongly. Therefore, it is preferable to use a device that emits UV light in this region.

[0094] The inner wall 122 of the frame portion 121 is formed into a mirror surface (UV light reflecting surface) that reflects the UV light over the entire circumference. Further, at the bottom of the frame portion 121, a storage base 123 provided with a large number of meshes on the entire surface is disposed. The storage base 123 is formed by processing a plate-like member (wire mesh or mesh plate) provided with a large number of meshes into a table shape. The storage base 123 is for placing an article G that is an object to be stored. In this cabinet 1, sterilization, virus removal, etc. of the article G stored inside the cabinet 1 are automatically performed by irradiation with UV light.

[0095] Generally, when storing an article in a storage, depending on the arrangement of the articles, when irradiating light from a certain position, a portion (surface) that is not irradiated with the light is generated. Therefore, in the cabinet 1 of the present embodiment, the inner wall 122 of the frame portion 121 is made into a mirror surface to diffusely reflect the UV light irradiated from the UV light irradiation unit 112, and the UV light passes through the meshes of the storage base 123 and hits the upper, side, and bottom portions of the article G placed on the storage base 123 from each direction, so that the surface of the article G can be sterilized and virus-removed over a wide range. Although the irradiation of UV light by the UV light irradiation unit 112 does not achieve 100% epidemic prevention, for articles G that are mainly shared by multiple people, a certain epidemic prevention effect can be expected.

[0096] (Label printing function with IC tag) The label printing function with an IC tag is realized by the touch panel 16 of the cabinet 1 shown in FIG. 8, the printer 113, the control unit 49, the article management unit 63 of the server 2 shown in FIG. 3, and the management information storage unit 51. The touch panel 16 accepts operations for accommodating one or more articles G in the accommodation unit 11.

[0097] The printer 113 prints a label R in which the IC tag 17 is embedded. The label R is to be attached to the article G that the user U stores in the cabinet 1, and the back surface is an adhesive surface for attaching to the article G. The adhesive surface has an adhesive strength such that the user U can easily peel off the label R from the article G. Specifically, the label R includes a first surface that can adhere to the article G, a second surface that faces the first surface and is printable, and a wireless tag (such as the IC tag 17 in FIG. 8) sandwiched between the first and second surfaces.

[0098] The control unit 49 controls the printer 113. Specifically, when the control unit 49 opens the door 13 after user authentication, it controls the printer 113 to print and output the time on the label R. At least date and time information such as the date and time at the time of authentication or door opening is printed on the label R. The same information as the label R is also written into the IC tag 17 through the IC tag communication unit 41. The information printed on the label R, that is, the information of the IC tag 17 embedded in the label R, is stored in the storage information storage unit 42 of the cabinet 1 and registered in the server 2.

[0099] In the server 2, when the information of the IC tag 17 is received, the article management unit 63 checks whether the received information of the IC tag 17 is already registered in the article management table and the incoming and outgoing management table of the management information storage unit 51. As a result of confirmation, if the information of the IC tag 17 is new, the information of the IC tag 17 is registered in the article management table and the inventory management table, and thereafter, it is managed by the server 2.

[0100] By attaching the unregistered IC tag 17 to the article G and storing it in the cabinet 1, the article management unit 63 generates article management information including the information of the IC tag 17 (information including date and time information and tag ID), and registers the generated article management information in the article management table.

[0101] Regarding the article management information, the user U can register information for human recognition such as the article name at any timing. Specifically, when storing the article G in the cabinet 1, for example, by selecting any icon (for example, "key", "wallet", other "valuables", etc.) from the icons of the items to be stored displayed on the storage registration screen (not shown) of the touch panel 16 and pressing the registration button, the date and time when the registration button is pressed (operated) and the information of the article G ("key", "wallet", "valuables") are both recorded in the IC tag 17 of the label R. In addition to the selection of the icon, the information of the article G may be entered by keying in on the touch panel 16.

[0102] The information of the IC tag 17 recorded on the label R is registered in the article management table and the inventory management table of the management information storage unit 51 of the server 2, respectively. Thereby, evidence of what items have been stored in the cabinet 1 can be left, and it can be effectively used as auxiliary information in the event of loss of the subsequent article G or the like.

[0103] (Unified management function for multiple cabinets) With reference to FIGS. 11 and 12, the unified management function of the information processing system according to the second embodiment will be described. FIG. 11 is a diagram showing the network configuration of the information processing system according to the second embodiment. FIG. 12 is a diagram showing an example of the cabinet management master of the server cabinet of the information processing system of FIG. 11. In the first embodiment, a configuration in which the cabinet 1 is connected to the server 2 via the network N was illustrated. However, as shown in FIG. 11, in the information processing system of this second embodiment, a plurality of cabinets are connected to the network N, one of which is a server cabinet 201 and the others are client cabinets 202, and the functions of the server 2 in the first embodiment (see FIG. 3) are included in the server cabinet 201.

[0104] As shown in FIG. 12, a cabinet management master 131 is provided in the server cabinet 201. The cabinet management master 131 has cabinets #0 to #4, card readers #0 to #4, and IC tag communication units #0 to #4 associated therewith. That is, the cabinet management master 131 is a storage means for associating the cabinets 201, 202, the card reader 15, and the IC tag communication unit 41. In the server cabinet 201, each function of the CPU 21 shown in FIG. 3 centrally manages the operations of a plurality of cabinets 201, 202, including its own and other cabinets, and the incoming and outgoing of the article G.

[0105] By configuring the information processing system in this way, a plurality of cabinets with the same appearance can be mass-produced, and one of them is used as the server cabinet 201 to centrally manage the operations of a plurality of cabinets 201, 202, including its own cabinet, and the information of the article G. In addition, since the management server 2 (hardware) as in the first embodiment is not provided, the manufacturing cost can be reduced.

[0106] (Unreturn notification function) The unreturn notification function of the information processing system according to the second embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 3 and 13. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of a lending management master stored in the management information storage unit of the server in FIG. 8. For example, it is assumed that this information processing system is used for a service in which lending articles G are stored in the cabinet 1 in advance, the user U takes out a desired article G from the cabinet 1 when needed, and returns it within a certain period.

[0107] In this case, the unreturned notification function is realized by the cabinet information management unit 66 in FIG. 3 and the lending management master 132 in FIG. 13. The lending management master 132 is stored in the management information storage unit 51 of the server 2. As shown in FIG. 13, in the lending management master 132, the article ID corresponds to the article name, the status indicating the state of the article (whether it is on loan or not), the scheduled return date of the article G on loan, etc. and is stored. The status is set to the flag "1" for out-of-stock (on loan) and the flag "0" for in-stock.

[0108] In this case, in the server 2, the cabinet information management unit 66 refers to the lending management master 132 and checks the lending status of the article G. As a result of this check, if the article G with the article ID exceeding the scheduled return date remains with the on-loan flag "1", the cabinet information management unit 66 sends an email (notification email) with a message stating that there is an item that has not been returned even after the scheduled return date to a predetermined email address. The predetermined email address is, for example, the address of an administrator or the like. In this case, the notification email arrives at the management terminal 3.

[0109] In this second embodiment, the unreturned notification is sent by email, but in addition to this, for example, it may be displayed and notified on a management page for administrators or the like. Also, instead of email, it may be notified to the management terminal 3 by a message such as a social network service (SNS). When the article G has been reserved for lending in advance, a column for the reserved person (column for user ID) is provided in the reservation table managed by the reservation control unit 62, and the reservation information and the stock status can be grasped using the scheduled date and time, the user ID, and the in-out status in the in-out management table managed by the article management unit 63.

[0110] On the management terminal 3 that has received the notification email from the server 2, by the administrator grasping the unreturned article G, it is possible to take measures against the next user with a reservation and optimize the number of articles to be managed. In addition, by calling on the user U to thoroughly implement the operation rules in the lending service of the article G, or by giving a reminder such as prompting the user U who has forgotten to return it to return it, it is possible to achieve effects such as reducing the unreturned article G and preventing the loss of the lent article G in advance.

[0111] (Function of cooperation with other systems) In this case, assume that the products to be sold are stored as articles G in the cabinet 1, and this information processing system is used for the service of selling the desired article G taken out by the user U from the cabinet 1.

[0112] In the information processing system of the first embodiment, the article management unit 63 of the server 2 manages the incoming and outgoing of the article G using the incoming and outgoing management table stored in the management information storage unit 51, but the scope of management is limited to the cabinet 1.

[0113] Therefore, in the second embodiment, the article management unit 63 manages the quantity of the article G in the cabinet 1 in the incoming and outgoing management table with the article G stored in the cabinet 1 as incoming (receiving) and the article G taken out from the cabinet 1 as outgoing (shipping). When the number of outgoing (shipping) items reaches a threshold value of, for example, 1 or 2, etc., the item name, quantity, etc. of the article G are notified to other systems connected via the server 2 and the network N.

[0114] If the other system is, for example, an order receiving and issuing system for the article G, it is possible to automatically perform processes such as ordering the article G that is likely to be out of stock in the cabinet 1. By configuring in this way, by not limiting the management of the article G to only the cabinet but cooperating with other systems, it is possible to automatically perform processes such as replenishing out-of-stock items of the article G.

[0115] (Function of displaying the storage location of articles) When the user U takes out a reserved predetermined product (article G) from among a plurality of products stored in the cabinet 1, if the storage space of the cabinet 1 is large, the user U may not know where in the large storage space the article G is placed. Also, when a plurality of articles G with the same appearance are stored in the cabinet 1, it may sometimes be impossible to distinguish which one belongs to the user U.

[0116] Therefore, in the second embodiment, it is provided with an article storage location display function. The article storage location display function is realized by a storage information storage unit 42, a touch panel 16, and a control unit 49 shown in FIG. 8. In the storage information storage unit 42, the article ID which is the identification information of one or more articles G stored in the cabinet 1 and the storage locations such as the shelf number and frame number of each of the one or more articles G in the storage unit 11 are stored in association with each other. The touch panel 16 can be controlled by the control unit 49 to present the storage locations of one or more articles to the user U.

[0117] The control unit 49 controls the touch panel 16. Specifically, when an operation to take out a predetermined article is performed from the storage unit 11 by touching the touch panel 16, presenting the IC card 14, touching the fingerprint sensor with a fingerprint, etc., the control unit 49 controls the touch panel 16 to present the storage location of the predetermined article G in the storage unit 11 based on the information (article ID and storage location) in the storage information storage unit 42. By this control, a layout diagram of the interior of the warehouse is displayed on the touch panel 16, and a mark indicating the position of the article G to be taken out is displayed in the layout diagram.

[0118] Specifically, for example, when the IC card 14 is held in front of the card reader 15 and user authentication is performed, the server 2 identifies the position of the article G in the cabinet 1 and notifies the control unit 49 of the cabinet 1 of the identified position of the article G. As a method for specifying the position of the article G in the cabinet 1, an IC tag communication unit 41 is provided for each frame portion 121 shown in FIG. 10, and when the article G is placed in the frame portion 121, communication is performed between the IC tag 17 and the IC tag communication unit 41 to associate the position of the frame portion 121 and the article G (IC tag 17), and register them in a reservation table, an incoming / outgoing inventory management table, etc.

[0119] The control unit 49 receives the position of the article G, unlocks the door 13, and displays the position of the article G in the cabinet on the touch panel 16. Then, when the user U operates the confirmation button on the touch panel 16, the door 13 is opened. Thereby, the user U can take out the article G from the cabinet 1 after confirming in advance the storage position of the article G in the cabinet.

[0120] In the above embodiment, the touch panel 16 is used as the means for notifying the position of the article G in the cabinet 1, but it is not limited to this. After user authentication, when the door 13 is opened, for example, the control unit 49 may perform lighting control on the UV light irradiation unit 112 arranged in the frame portion 121 shown in FIG. 10 to notify the user U of the position of the article G to be taken out. Also, instead of using the UV light irradiation unit 112, independent position presentation means (such as LEDs) may be provided in each frame portion 121. Furthermore, a voice message may be output from the speaker to notify the position of the article G to be taken out. As an example of the voice message, for example, "The article G to be taken out is in the second frame from the left on the third shelf from the bottom." etc.

[0121] (Unauthorized removal alert function) In the above first embodiment, the operation of making a reservation for using the cabinet 1 and storing the article G was described. Also, as a second operation example, the operation of the door 13 closing forgetfulness alert was described, but by combining these, an unauthorized removal alert function for the article G can be realized. Specifically, the unauthorized removal alert function is realized by the alert unit 48 of the cabinet 1 shown in FIG. 8, the control unit 49 that controls the alert unit 48, the article management unit 63 of the server 2 shown in FIG. 3, and the incoming / outgoing management table and reservation table of the management information storage unit 51. The alert unit 48 is capable of issuing an alert and is controlled by the control unit 49 to issue an alert. When the first article G for which a removal reservation has been made from the storage unit 11 is different from the second article G actually removed from the storage unit 11, the control unit 49 controls the alert unit 48 to issue an alert. As a scenario where the unauthorized removal alert function is utilized, for example, when the user U comes to pick up the article G deposited in the cabinet 1, or when the user U comes to pick up the article G reserved for lending that was previously stored in the cabinet 1, the user U may accidentally take out a different article G.

[0122] For example, when the user U takes out the article G deposited in the cabinet 1, when the article management unit 63 changes the status of the article ID obtained from the IC tag 17 of the article G taken out by the user U in the incoming / outgoing management table from "incoming" to "outgoing", it reads out the article ID and the date and time of the removal reservation in the reservation table, compares them with the article ID of the taken-out article G, and determines whether the taken-out article G is a reserved article based on whether the article IDs match. As a result of this determination, if the article IDs do not match, the article management unit 63 determines that the reserved article G and the taken-out article G are different, and sends a signal to issue an alert to the cabinet 1. In the cabinet 1, upon receiving the signal from the server 2, the control unit 49 controls the alert unit 48 to issue an alert.

[0123] Thereby, if the user U takes out an article different from the deposited article G, the accidentally taken-out article G can be put back and the actual deposited article G can be taken out. Also, if an attempt is made to illegally take out another article, an alert will be issued, so the illegal act will be known. That is, when the user U has made a lending reservation in advance, it is possible to prevent taking out, that is, shipping out, an item different from the lent item G reserved from the cabinet 1.

[0124] In the above-described second embodiment, the control unit 49 of the cabinet 1 mainly performs the control and condition determination of the functional elements (door 13, touch panel 16, camera 18, alert unit 48, fingerprint sensor 111, UV light irradiation unit 112, printer 113, etc.) provided or connected to the cabinet 1. However, the cabinet control unit 67 or the cabinet information management unit 66 of the server 2 may perform the above control and determination. Further, the management terminal 3 may perform the above control and determination.

[0125] As described above, one embodiment of the present invention has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and modifications, improvements, etc. within the scope that can achieve the object of the present invention are included in the present invention.

[0126] In the above embodiment, the original data for authentication is random number data. However, in addition to this, as the original data for authentication, electronic data that only the required person has, such as image data, text files (text data), video data, etc. stored in the user terminal 4 can be used. In addition, the original data for authentication may be a time stamp, a code, or the like.

[0127] Further, for example, the above-described series of processes can be executed by hardware or by software. Also, one functional block and database may be configured by hardware alone, by software alone, or by a combination thereof.

[0128] In the above embodiment, an example of using the door sensor 43 of the cabinet 1 as the detection means for detecting the opening or closing of the door 13 of the cabinet 1 is shown. However, in addition to this, the opening or closing of the door 13 may be detected from the image of the camera 18 (imaging means). That is, an image processing circuit or the like provided in the server 2 processes the image acquired from the camera 18 to detect the opening or closing of the door 13.

[0129] In other words, the functional configurations of FIGS. 3 and 8 are merely illustrative and are not particularly limited. That is, it suffices that the information processing apparatus or the cabinet is provided with functional blocks and databases capable of executing the above-described series of processes as a whole, and the functional blocks and databases used to realize this function are not particularly limited to the example of FIG. 3. Also, the location where the functional blocks and databases exist is not particularly limited to FIG. 3 and may be arbitrary.

[0130] When the series of processes are executed by software, the programs constituting the software are installed in a computer or the like from a network or a recording medium. The computer may be a computer incorporated in dedicated hardware. Also, the computer may be a computer capable of executing various functions by installing various programs, such as a general-purpose smartphone or PC in addition to a server.

[0131] A recording medium containing such a program is not only constituted by a removable medium (not shown) distributed separately from the apparatus main body in order to provide the program to the user U, but also constituted by a recording medium or the like provided to the user U in a state pre-installed in the apparatus main body.

[0132] Note that, in this specification, the steps of describing the program recorded on the recording medium include not only the processes performed in time series according to the order thereof, but also the processes executed in parallel or individually even if they are not necessarily processed in time series. Also, in this specification, the term "system" shall mean the entire apparatus composed of a plurality of devices, a plurality of means, and the like.

[0133] In other words, the information processing system to which the present invention is applied can take various embodiments having the following configurations, including the information processing system as the embodiment of FIG. 1 described above.

[0134] That is, the information processing apparatus (for example, the server 2 in FIG. 3) to which the present invention is applied is an information processing apparatus (for example, the server 2 in FIG. 3) that manages the incoming and outgoing of each of the one or more articles G with respect to a cabinet 1 having a storage unit 11 capable of storing one or more articles G, authentication means (for example, the authentication unit 61 in FIG. 3) that attempts to authenticate that a user U who attempts to store or retrieve a predetermined article among the one or more articles G into or from the storage unit 11 of the cabinet 1 is a person who is permitted to access the cabinet 1; acquisition means (for example, the information acquisition unit 60 in FIG. 3) that, when the predetermined article is stored or retrieved by the user U authenticated by the authentication means, acquires article identification information (for example, the tag ID or article ID of the IC tag 17 in FIG. 3), which is information capable of identifying the predetermined article, and incoming / outgoing information (incoming / outgoing date and time) indicating the incoming / outgoing status of the predetermined article from the cabinet 1; management means (for example, the cabinet information management unit 66 in FIG. 3) that manages the article identification information acquired by the acquisition means, the incoming / outgoing information, and the user information (for example, the card authentication information of the IC card 14 in FIG. 3) used for authentication in association with each other; and includes. By providing this configuration, not only the incoming and outgoing management of the article G but also the management of the person (user U) who stores or retrieves the article G in the cabinet 1 can be performed. As a result, comprehensive incoming and outgoing management of the cabinet 1, such as who, when, and what is taken in and out of the cabinet 1, can be performed. Further, the cabinet 1 is further provided with opening / closing means (for example, the door 13 in FIG. 1) for opening or closing the storage unit 11, The information processing apparatus (for example, the server 2 in FIG. 3) is detection means (for example, the door sensor 43 in FIG. 3) that detects the opening or closing of the opening / closing means (door 13); When the closing of the opening / closing means is not detected within a certain period after the opening of the opening / closing means is detected, the cabinet control means (for example, the cabinet control unit 67 in FIG. 3) controls the cabinet 1 to output an alarm (alert) from the alert unit 48 of the cabinet 1. It includes. By providing this configuration, it is possible to prevent the loss of the article G stored in the cabinet 1 and improve security. Further, the information processing device (for example, the server 2 in FIG. 3) Reservation control means (for example, the reservation control unit 62 in FIG. 3) that accepts a reservation for the incoming and outgoing of a predetermined article to the cabinet 1. It includes. By providing this configuration, the user U can make a reservation for using the cabinet 1 without going to the installation location of the cabinet 1 or the operating company of the cabinet 1, so the convenience of the user U can be improved. Also, from the reservation information, it is possible to manage the incoming and outgoing of the article G to the cabinet 1 in the future, such as who, when, and what to take in and out of the cabinet. Further, the cabinet 1 is further provided with display means (for example, the touch panel 16 in FIG. 3) for displaying information. The information processing device (for example, the server 2 in FIG. 3) Cabinet control means (for example, the cabinet control unit 67 in FIG. 3) that controls the cabinet 1 to display preset advertisement information on the display means of the cabinet 1. It includes. By providing this configuration, the cabinet 1 can be used as an advertising medium.

[0135] Further, the cabinet 1 is further provided with display means (for example, the touch panel 16 in FIG. 1) for displaying information. The information processing device (for example, the server 2 in FIG. 3) a cabinet control means (e.g., the cabinet control unit 67 in FIG. 3) for controlling the cabinet 1 so as to cause the display means to display the inventory status in the storage unit 11 of the cabinet 1 for each of the one or more items G based on the incoming / outgoing inventory information managed by the management means; Equipped with. With this configuration, the current inventory status of the items G in the cabinet 1 can be seen at a glance, improving convenience for the user U. The cabinet 1 is further provided with an opening / closing means (e.g., a door 13 in FIG. 1) for opening or closing the storage section 11. The information processing device (for example, the server 2 in FIG. 3 ) a cabinet control means (e.g., cabinet control unit 67 in FIG. 3 ) for controlling the cabinet so as to permit opening of the storage unit 11 by the opening / closing means when user authentication by the authentication means (e.g., authentication unit 61 in FIG. 3 ) is successful, and to prohibit opening of the storage unit 11 by the opening / closing means when the authentication by the authentication means is unsuccessful; Equipped with. With this configuration, the opening and closing means can be opened only by an authenticated user, so that the entry and exit of goods G, including people, can be managed more safely. Furthermore, the information processing device (for example, the server 2 in FIG. 3 ) a cabinet control means (e.g., cabinet control unit 67 in FIG. 3 ) for controlling the cabinet to obtain second user information (e.g., card information of the permission card 14 a in FIG. 3 ) indicating that the user, whose user authentication has been successful by the authentication means (e.g., authentication unit 61 in FIG. 3 ), has placed in the cabinet a specific item (car keys) set in advance; Equipped with. With this configuration, two-step authentication can be performed on a user U who has deposited a specific item (such as a car key) in the cabinet 1 when the item is taken out, and the item G can be managed for withdrawal according to the type of item G.

[0136] A cabinet (such as cabinet 1 in FIG. 8) having a storage section (such as storage section 11 in FIG. 1) capable of storing one or more articles (such as article G in FIG. 8), opening / closing means (such as door 13 in FIG. 1) for opening or closing the storage section, detection means (such as door sensor 43 in FIG. 8) for detecting the opening or closing of the opening / closing means, irradiation means (such as UV light irradiation section 112 in FIG. 8) disposed in the storage section for irradiating a light for sterilizing the inside of the storage section, control means (such as control section 49 in FIG. 8) for controlling the irradiation means to turn on the light during the period from when the closing of the opening / closing means is detected by the detection means until the opening is detected, and comprising. By providing the cabinet with an epidemic prevention storage (UV light irradiation) function in this way, the light is irradiated while the articles are being stored in the cabinet, and the articles are sterilized and virus-removed, so that an epidemic prevention effect on the articles can be achieved. A cabinet (such as cabinet 1 in FIG. 8) having a storage section capable of storing one or more articles, detection means (such as door sensor 43 in FIG. 8) for detecting a person who puts in or takes out the one or more articles in the storage section or the operation of the opening / closing means (such as door 13 in FIG. 1) of the storage section, a storage control section (such as control section 49 in FIG. 8) for storing, in storage means (such as storage information storage section 42 in FIG. 8), an image captured by imaging means (such as camera 18 in FIG. 9) installed with its optical axis directed in the direction of the storage section (such as storage section 11 in FIG. 9) of the cabinet while the operation of putting in or taking out is at least detected by the detection means, and comprising. By providing the cabinet with a camera linkage function in this way and automatically recording the video during the in / out operation, evidence in the form of video can be left in the in / out record. The recorded video can be used to identify a person when a user other than the door unlocker (opener / closer) puts in or takes out an article. The authentication means is Biometric authentication means for authenticating the biometric information of the user (for example, the fingerprint sensor 111 in FIG. 8, etc.), is included. By including the biometric authentication function in the authentication means in this way, only the person depositing the item or the person retrieving the item can use the cabinet, and security can be improved. A cabinet having a storage section capable of storing one or more items (for example, the cabinet 1 in FIG. 8, etc.), Operation reception means for receiving an operation for storing the one or more items in the storage section (for example, the touch panel 16 in FIG. 8, etc.), Label output means for outputting a label (for example, the label R in FIG. 8, etc.) including a first surface that can be adhered to the item, a second surface that faces the first surface and can be printed, and a wireless tag (for example, the IC tag 17 in FIG. 8, etc.) sandwiched between the first and second surfaces, Control means for controlling the label output means so as to print and output the date and time when the operation is received by the operation reception means on the second surface (for example, the control unit 49 in FIG. 8, etc.), is provided. By providing the cabinet with the function of printing a label with an IC tag in this way, when coming to the location of the cabinet, the label can be printed on the spot and attached to the item to be deposited and then stored in the cabinet. Therefore, without arranging a person for receiving items near the cabinet, the user can deposit items in the cabinet only by their own operation, and the operation of the cabinet can be made unmanned. A cabinet having a storage section capable of storing one or more items (for example, the fingerprint sensor 111 in FIG. 8, etc.), Alert reporting means capable of reporting an alert (for example, the alert section 48 in FIG. 8, etc.), Control means for controlling the alert reporting means to report an alert when a first item reserved to be taken out from the storage section is different from a second item actually taken out (for example, the control unit 49 in FIG. 3, etc.) is provided. By providing the cabinet with the unauthorized removal alert function in this way, when a user removes an item from the cabinet without a reservation, an alert is output, so that it is possible to prevent the user from accidentally removing other items from the cabinet. In addition, it is possible to prevent the user from removing items from the cabinet without a reservation. A cabinet (e.g., the cabinet 1 in FIG. 8, etc.) having a storage section capable of storing one or more items, storage means (e.g., the lending management master 132 in FIG. 13, etc.) in which the status indicating the storage and removal status of the one or more items in the storage section and the scheduled return date and time of the one or more items removed from the storage section are stored in correspondence; notification means (e.g., the cabinet information management section 66 in FIG. 3, etc.) for notifying a predetermined contact when an item in a state of being removed is detected beyond the scheduled return date and time; and comprising. By providing the cabinet with the non-return notification function in this way, the administrator can grasp non-returned items that are not returned even after the scheduled return date. As a result, for example, it is possible to take measures for the next scheduled user and optimize the number of items to be managed. In addition, there are effects such as thorough implementation of operation rules. Specific examples of thorough implementation of operation rules include, for example, prompting a user who has forgotten to return, and paying attention to a user who often forgets to return. By performing such actions, it is possible to prevent the loss of items. The information processing system A plurality of cabinets (e.g., the server cabinet 201 and the client cabinet 202 in FIG. 11, etc.) each having a storage section capable of storing one or more items communicate via a network N, and one of the plurality of cabinets (e.g., the server cabinet 201 in FIG. 11, etc.) manages the storage and removal of each of the one or more items in the plurality of cabinets. By providing a function for centralized management of a plurality of cabinets (such as the server cabinet 201 and the client cabinet 202 in FIG. 11, etc.) in one of the cabinets (such as the server cabinet 201 in FIG. 11, etc.), the same firmware can be mass-produced, so that cost reduction can be achieved compared to setting up a management server separately from the cabinets. A cabinet (such as the cabinet 1 in FIG. 8, etc.) having a storage section capable of storing one or more articles, storage means (such as the storage information storage section 42 in FIG. 8, etc.) for storing the identification information (article ID) of the one or more articles stored in the cabinet in association with the storage positions (such as shelf numbers, frame numbers, etc.) of the one or more articles in the storage section, presenting means (such as the touch panel 16 in FIG. 8, the UV light irradiation section 112 in FIG. 10, LEDs, voice, etc.) for presenting the positions of the one or more articles, control means (such as the control section 49 in FIG. 8, etc.) for controlling the presenting means to present the storage position of the predetermined article in the storage section based on the information (article ID and storage position) of the storage means when an operation of taking out a predetermined article from the storage section is performed, is provided. By providing such an article storage location display function, when the user takes out an article, it is possible to know where in the cabinet the article to be taken out is stored, and prevent the user from taking out an article that is not the target to be taken out by mistake. The presenting means includes display means (such as the touch panel 16 in FIG. 8, etc.) for displaying information, The information processing apparatus (such as the server 2 in FIG. 8, etc.) further includes cabinet control means (such as the cabinet control section 67 in FIG. 3, etc.) for controlling the cabinet to cause the display means to display the storage position of the predetermined article in the storage section. By providing a function to display the storage location of an article in the cabinet on the display means, when the user performs an operation to take out an article in front of the cabinet, the position of the article is displayed on the display means, so that the user can know where in the cabinet the article to be taken out is stored, and the user can take out the article from the cabinet without hesitation.

Explanation of Signs

[0137] G ··· Article, N ··· Network, U ··· User, 1 ··· Cabinet 1 ··· Server, 3 ··· Management Terminal, 4 ··· User Terminal, 11 ··· Storage Section, 12 ··· Opening, 13 ··· Door, 14 ··· IC Card, 15 ··· Card Reader, 16 ··· Touch Panel, 17 ··· IC Tag, 18 ··· Camera, 21 ··· CPU, 42 ··· Storage Information Storage Section, 51 ··· Management Information Storage Section, 60 ··· Information Acquisition Section, 61 ··· Authentication Section, 62 ··· Reservation Control Section, 63 ··· Article Management Section, 64 ··· User Management Section, 65 ··· History Management Section, 66 ··· Cabinet Information Management Section, 67 ··· Cabinet Control Section, 68 ··· Website Publishing Section, 81, 101 ··· Browsing Section, 111 ··· Fingerprint Sensor, 112 ··· UV Light Irradiation Section, 113 ··· Printer, 121 ··· Frame Section, 122 ··· Inner Wall, 123 ··· Storage Stand, 201 ··· Server Cabinet, 202 ··· Client Cabinet

Claims

A cabinet having a storage section capable of accommodating one or more articles to be disinfected, opening and closing means for opening or closing the storage section, first detection means for detecting the opening or closing of the opening and closing means, irradiation means disposed in the storage section for irradiating light for sterilizing the inside of the storage section, alert reporting means capable of reporting an alert, control means for controlling the irradiation means to turn on the light from when the closing of the opening and closing means is detected by the first detection means until the opening is detected, and for controlling the alert reporting means to report the alert when the closing of the opening and closing means is not detected even after a predetermined time has elapsed since the opening of the opening and closing means was detected by the first detection means, and for controlling the alert reporting means to report the alert when the first article reserved for removal from the storage section is different from the second article actually removed, first storage means for storing in correspondence a status indicating the storage and removal status of the one or more articles in the storage section and a return scheduled date and time of the one or more articles removed from the storage section, notification means for notifying a predetermined contact when an article whose status is in a removed state is detected after exceeding the return scheduled date and time, a person who stores or removes the one or more articles in the storage section or second detection means for detecting the operation of the opening and closing means of the storage section, storage control means for storing in the second storage means an image captured by imaging means installed with its optical axis directed toward the storage section of the cabinet while the operation of storing or removing is at least detected by the second detection means, A cabinet comprising the above.

2. storage means for storing in association the one or more articles stored in the cabinet and the respective storage positions of the one or more articles in the storage section, presentation means capable of presenting the positions of the one or more articles, further comprising, The control means further, when an operation of taking out a predetermined article from the storage section is performed, controls the presentation means to present the storage position of the predetermined article in the storage section based on the information in the storage means, The cabinet according to claim 1.

3. operation reception means for receiving an operation for storing the one or more articles in the storage section, Label output means for outputting a label including a first surface that can be adhered to the article, a second surface facing the first surface and capable of printing, and a wireless tag sandwiched between the first and second surfaces; further comprising; the control means further; controls the label output means so as to print and output the date and time when the operation is received by the operation reception means on the second surface; The cabinet according to claim 1.

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