Inventory management system and storage

Abstract

To provide an inventory control system capable of appropriately executing inventory control in a storage warehouse.SOLUTION: An inventory control system 100 includes: a warehousing antenna 6A inside a warehouse provided to communicate with a wireless tag attached onto an article stored in a storage warehouse 4; a delivery antenna 7A outside the warehouse provided to communicate with the wireless tag when delivering; article information acquisition sections (tag reader / writer devices 6, 7) for acquiring article information by communicating with the wireless tag through the warehousing antenna or the delivery antenna; and an inventory control device 1 for controlling articles of the storage warehouse 4 on the basis of the acquired article information. The inventory control device 1, when a door of the storage warehouse 4 is open, outputs an electric wave from the warehousing antenna 6A and when the door is closed, outputs an electric wave from the delivery antenna 7A.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an inventory management system and a storehouse. [Background technology]

[0002] Recently, technology that allows users to know what items are stored in a storage cabinet without visually inspecting the interior of the cabinet has become widespread. Patent Document 1 describes a refrigerator that stores food with RFID (Radio Frequency Identifier) ​​tags that record food information attached to the food, and that has an RFID tag reader inside the refrigerator or both inside and outside the refrigerator, and a database that stores the food information read by the RFID tag reader.

[0003] In the storage facility of Patent Document 2, it is described that when the door of the storage facility is opened, a tag reader / writer device installed inside the storage facility reads and writes data from and to information recording media attached to items inside the storage facility. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-319043 [Patent Document 2] Patent No. 3960093 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] In the refrigerator of Patent Document 1, when an operator puts an RFID-tagged package into the refrigerator, or if an RFID tag reader / writer is installed on the front door of the refrigerator, the operator simply holds the RFID tag reader / writer over the front of the refrigerator. The RFID tag reader inside the refrigerator periodically and repeatedly transmits radio waves at the RFID tag's resonant frequency to the RFID tag and reads the response waves from the food with the RFID tag. If there is no response, the food is recorded in a database as having been consumed and is then determined to be ready for removal.

[0006] The storage cabinet of Patent Document 2 is equipped with a tag reader / writer device inside the storage cabinet. When a response from an RFID tag attached to a food item is no longer detected, the control unit determines that the food item has been removed from the storage cabinet.

[0007] Generally, when radio waves are irradiated onto an information recording carrier (tag) inside a storage facility, the radio waves may be accidentally blocked by food containing moisture or a metal obstacle. Also, if a tag is placed at a null point inside the storage facility and radio waves are blocked, the tag cannot be read, and the methods of Patent Documents 1 and 2 often result in a false determination that the item has been "released." A null point is a point where radio waves radiated from each antenna interfere with each other and cancel each other out.

[0008] Therefore, if the tag reader / writer device cannot read the information recording medium, it is determined that the item is not present in the storage cabinet, which has been a problem.

[0009] The present invention is intended to solve the above-mentioned conventional problems, and has an object to provide an inventory management system and a storehouse that can appropriately manage inventory within the storehouse. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] In order to achieve the above object, the inventory management system of the present invention comprises an in-warehouse antenna provided to be capable of communicating with a wireless tag attached to an item stored in the storage warehouse, an out-warehouse antenna provided to be capable of communicating with the wireless tag when the item is taken out of the storage warehouse, an item information acquisition unit (e.g., a tag reader / writer device) that acquires item information by communicating with the wireless tag via the in-warehouse antenna or the out-warehouse antenna, and an inventory management device that manages items in the storage warehouse based on the acquired item information, and the inventory management device to , outputting radio waves from the storage antenna; In response to the detection of the wireless tag by the warehousing antenna, it is confirmed whether the item associated with the wireless tag is a warehousing item or an inventory item; When the door is closed to , and radio waves are output from the exit antenna. When the outgoing antenna detects the wireless tag, it is confirmed whether the item associated with the wireless tag is an outgoing item. Other aspects of the present invention will be described in the embodiments below. [Effects of the Invention]

[0011] According to the present invention, inventory management within a storehouse can be performed appropriately. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0012] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of an inventory management system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating the position of the antenna and the state of radio waves when the door is closed. [Figure 3] 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating the position of the antenna and the state of radio waves when the door is open. [Figure 4] 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating the position of the antenna and the state of radio waves when the drawer is open. [Figure 5] 10 is an example of open / close information. [Figure 6] 10 is an example of read information. [Figure 7] 10 is an example of inventory information. [Figure 8] This is an example of the antenna sensor setting screen. [Figure 9]10 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a processing procedure. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a storage cabinet having a door equipped with multiple antennas. [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating another configuration of the inventory management device. [Figure 12] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating another storage cabinet having multiple antennas on the door. [Figure 13] 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating the shape of a drawer-type tray, in which (a) shows a shape in which a portion of the front side of the tray is cut out, and (b) shows a shape in which a recess is provided on the front side of the tray. [Figure 14] 10 is a diagram illustrating the output timing of radio waves from the entrance antenna and the exit antenna. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0013] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention (hereinafter referred to as "the present embodiment") will be described in detail with reference to the drawings, etc. The present embodiment is an example of storing food in a storage unit such as a refrigerator in a kitchen. However, the present invention is also generally applicable to storing items other than food in spaces other than kitchens, such as production sites.

[0014] (Inventory management system) Figure 1 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of an inventory management system 100 according to this embodiment. The inventory management system 100 is composed of an inventory management device 1, a tag reader / writer device 6 that reads and writes information from RFID (Radio Frequency Identifier) ​​tags, and a tag reader / writer device 7. The tag reader / writer device 6 has an input antenna 6A. Similarly, the tag reader / writer device 7 has an output antenna 7A.

[0015] The inventory management device 1 is a general computer (server, PC, etc.) that includes a central control device 11, an input device 12 such as a mouse, keyboard, or touch panel, an output device 13 such as a display, a main memory device 14, an auxiliary memory device 15, and a communication device 16. These are interconnected by a bus.

[0016] The auxiliary storage device 15 stores opening / closing information 31, reading information 32, and inventory information 33 (described in detail below). The input / output processing unit 21 and inventory management unit 22 in the main storage device 14 are programs. The central control device 11 reads these programs from the auxiliary storage device 15 and loads them into the main storage device 14, thereby realizing the functions of each program (described in detail below). The auxiliary storage device 15 may be configured independent of the inventory management device 1.

[0017] There are one or more storage cabinets 4 in the kitchen 3. Here, a refrigerator is assumed as the storage cabinet 4, but the storage cabinet 4 may also be a food cabinet or food shelf without a cooling function. The storage cabinet 4 has the tag reader / writer device 6 and tag reader / writer device 7 described above. The receiving antenna 6A is installed on the ceiling or the like of the interior space of the storage cabinet 4. The retrieving antenna 7A is installed on the outside of the storage cabinet, for example, on the outer surface of a drawer or the like.

[0018] In this embodiment, an RFID tag 52 is attached to each food item 51, and an electronic chip in the RFID tag stores various data related to the food item (a code indicating information such as the manufacturer's name and item name). The tag reader / writer device 6 can read the data by irradiating radio waves to the RFID tag 52 via the storage antenna 6A and receiving the reflected radio waves. The tag reader / writer device 7 can read the data by irradiating radio waves to the RFID tag 52 via the storage antenna 6A and receiving the reflected radio waves.

[0019] The inventory management device 1 outputs radio waves from the receiving antenna 6A when the door or lid (not shown) of the storage warehouse is open, and outputs radio waves from the retrieval antenna 7A when the door or lid is closed. The radio wave strength of the antennas when they are emitting radio waves is greater than that of the receiving antenna 6A and retrieval antenna 7A. When an item is being stored, it is automatically recognized via the receiving antenna 6A installed inside the warehouse. When an item is being retrieval, when the door or lid is closed, it is automatically recognized via the retrieval antenna 7A, which is installed on the exterior of the warehouse and in a position where the RFID tag 52 can be touched. The retrieval antenna 7A reduces the radio wave strength so that the tag cannot be detected unless it is touched (within a distance of approximately 0 to 5 cm). This prevents erroneous determination of retrieval during retrieval.

[0020] The inventory management device 1 can communicate with tag reader / writer device 6 and tag reader / writer device 7 via network 2, and can also control the timing and power of radio wave emission based on antenna / sensor setting screen 61 (see FIG. 8). Furthermore, the inventory management device 1 can also communicate with a door open / close sensor and a drawer open / close sensor (not shown) via network 2. A human presence sensor (not shown) that detects the presence of a person in kitchen 3 and an illuminance sensor (not shown) that detects the illuminance in kitchen 3 are installed at any position within kitchen 3. The inventory management device 1 can also communicate with these sensors via network 2. The inventory management device 1 may be integrated with storage cabinet 4.

[0021] The inventory management device 1 can communicate with a terminal device 80 such as a smartphone, and based on a request from the terminal device 80 to view an item, the inventory management device 1 transmits inventory information 33 of the storage facility 4 to the terminal device 80. Based on a request from the terminal device 80 to delete an item, the inventory management device 1 can delete information about the item from the inventory list.

[0022] If a two-dimensional code is attached to food 51 (item), when the inventory management device 1 receives information about the two-dimensional code read from the terminal device 80, it can add the item based on the information in the two-dimensional code to an inventory list based on the inventory information 33 held by the inventory management device 1.

[0023] (antenna position) FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the position of antennas and the state of radio waves when the doors are closed. The storage cabinet 4 in FIG. 2 is a typical refrigerator. The storage cabinet 4 has four storage compartments, one above the other. In FIG. 2, the doors 41 and drawers 42 of the storage compartments are closed. An entry antenna 6A is installed on the ceiling on the inside of the top storage compartment. The entry antenna 6A can read RFID tags 52 present within its own radio wave irradiation area 8. The doors 41 are double-hinged, and an exit antenna 7A is installed on the outer surface of the door on the left side as you face the storage cabinet 4 (installed so that the outer surface and the exit antenna 7A are flush (flat)). The exit antenna 7A can read RFID tags 52 present within its own radio wave irradiation area 9. The exit antenna 7A has low radio wave strength so that it cannot detect a tag unless it is touched (within a distance of about 0 to 5 cm) (the touch is performed by the user). When the door 41 is closed, the inventory management device 1 outputs radio waves from the warehousing antenna 7A and stops output of radio waves from the warehousing antenna 6A. Note that 0 to 5 cm is an example. Also, in Figure 2, the time periods during which the warehousing antenna 6A and the warehousing antenna 7A each output radio waves are divided by the door closure, but this is an example, and detailed operating conditions will be described in "(c) Antenna Output Timing."

[0024] 2, in this embodiment, the storage antenna 6A is installed on the ceiling surface of the top storage compartment facing downward (so as to radiate radio waves downward). However, the storage antenna 6A may also be installed on the floor surface of the top storage compartment facing upward (so as to radiate radio waves upward) at a position (reference numeral 45 in FIG. 3) that allows one to look up at the article holding means 43 from directly below when the door 41 is open.

[0025] Figure 3 is a diagram illustrating the position of the antennas and the state of radio waves when door 41 is open. In Figure 3, door 41 is open, and compared to Figure 2, when door 41 is open, inventory management device 1 outputs radio waves from receiving antenna 6A and stops output of radio waves from retrieval antenna 7A. In Figure 3, the right door of double doors 41 facing storage room 4 is open approximately 90 degrees, and the left door is open approximately 180 degrees.

[0026] FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating the position of the antennas and the state of radio waves when drawer 44 is open. In FIG. 4, door 41 and drawer 42 are closed, and drawer 44 in the third storage compartment from the top is open. Storing antenna 6A is installed on the ceiling inside the third storage compartment from the top. Storing antenna 6A can read RFID tags 52 present within its own radio wave irradiation area 8. When drawer 44 is open, inventory management device 1 outputs radio waves from storing antenna 6A and stops outputting radio waves from retrieving antenna 7A.

[0027] As shown in Figures 2 to 4, the number of receiving antennas 6A is equal to or greater than the number of retrieval antennas 7A. The storage facility 4 has a plurality of storage compartments, and a receiving antenna 6A is provided in each storage compartment of the storage facility 4, and a retrieval antenna 7A is provided on the outer surface of the storage facility 4. In Figures 2 to 4, the receiving antenna 6A in each storage compartment is connected to the tag reader / writer device 6 via a switch (not shown), and the retrieval antenna 7A is connected to the tag reader / writer device 7.

[0028] The position, arrangement and number of antennas will be further explained. (a) Arrangement of storage antenna 6A (a1) If the storage compartment is a door type: (i) the bottom of the refrigerator compartment (under the door pocket when the door is closed), (ii) near the ceiling light, (iii) on the walls on both sides of the refrigerator, or a combination of these. Since the storage antennas are provided at these positions, even if, for example, a storage pocket is provided on the inside of the door and food is stored in this pocket, when the door is closed, RFID tag 52 attached to the food moves closer to storage antenna 6A. Therefore, even if RFID tag 52 is placed at a position different from the null point inside the storage of the radio waves from storage antenna 6A or near a metal object, it will move to a position where the distance, angle, etc. between storage antenna 6A and RFID tag 52 will be different, and RFID tag 52 will be able to be recognized by storage antenna 6A.

[0029] (a2) If the storage compartment is a drawer type (drawer type): It is placed on the ceiling at the front of the storage compartment (vegetable compartment, freezer compartment, etc.). If a movable (removable) tray is provided inside the drawer, the tray has a shape with a cutout or recess at the front side.

[0030] Figure 13 is a diagram illustrating the shape of a drawer-type tray, where (a) shows a shape with a portion cut out on the front side of the tray, and (b) shows a shape with a recess on the front side of the tray. Note that Figure 13 shows the shape as viewed from above (plan view).

[0031] In the case of a drawer-type storage compartment, there is space below the antenna on the internal tray, so even when food is placed in the tray, there is still space below the antenna. When food / ingredients with RFID tag 52 attached are placed inside the storage compartment, RFID tag 52 moves as it is placed inside the storage compartment. Also, even after being placed on the tray, RFID tag 52 moves as it is placed inside the storage compartment when the tray is retracted when the drawer is closed. This prevents false detections where the RFID tag 52 is not detected as being in the storage compartment due to the null point inside the storage compartment of the radio waves from storage antenna 6A or the relative position of RFID tag 52 changing as it moves when hidden in the shadow of a metal object.

[0032] When a storage antenna 6A is provided in each storage compartment of the refrigerator, inventory can be managed for each storage compartment.

[0033] (b) Position of exit antenna 7A (for manual touch) (b1) A single antenna may be shared for the retrieval of items from each storage room, thereby reducing the number of antennas and tag reader / writer devices. (b2) It is advisable to install the exit antenna 7A on the front side of the refrigerator door or the revolving door. This makes installation easy because wiring (including signal lines) can be passed through the rotating shaft of the revolving door.

[0034] (c) Notification that the exit antenna 7A has recognized the object (c1) It is preferable to notify the user by sound or by lighting / flashing an LED when the RFID tag 52 is read. This allows the user to know for sure whether the tag has been read. (c2) Contact the smartphone of the terminal device 80: Notify the deleted item or notify the latest inventory list (updated incoming and outgoing items). (c3) When power supply to the touch antenna for retrieval starts or ends, an LED different from the recognition of the item may be turned on / flashed, or an alarm sound may be sounded. This allows the user to determine whether the item can be recognized or not due to an error.

[0035] (d) Number of entrance antennas 6A and exit antennas 7A (d1) When entering the storage room, an antenna installed inside the storage room can read the RFID tag 52 from a distance, enabling automatic recognition. When the storage room has a large internal volume, that is, when the entrance area is large, or when the storage room door is a double door or the door is vertically long, multiple entrance antennas may be installed near the storage room entrance. (d2) It is preferable that one antenna (recognition position) of the exit antenna 7A is placed in a position that can be touched when the door is closed, and that the RFID tag be touched to the exit antenna 7A. (d3) Since multiple antennas are provided for receiving, even if an RFID tag cannot be recognized by one antenna when receiving, it can be recognized as receiving if the RFID tag can be recognized by another antenna, allowing for accurate detection of receiving. Furthermore, even if a user stores multiple RFID-tagged foods randomly on multiple shelves arranged in the storage room when storing them, multiple receiving antennas are provided, so it is possible to prevent RFID tags from going undetected when they are being stored.

[0036] (Opening and closing information) 5 is an example of the opening / closing information 31. In the opening / closing information 31, doors are stored in a door column 102, opening / closing states are stored in an opening / closing state column 103, and antenna radiation power is stored in an antenna radiation power column 104, all of which are associated with the date and time stored in a date and time column 101.

[0037] The time in the date and time column 101 is the time when the entrance antenna 6A and the exit antenna 7A emitted radio waves. For simplicity, an example is shown in which radio waves are emitted at two-second intervals, but the actual emission interval is much shorter, at "a few milliseconds." The door in the door column 102 is a number that uniquely identifies the door of the storage cabinet 4. Note that the door here is a concept that also includes drawers. The open / closed state in the open / closed state column 103 is either "open," which indicates that the door is open, or "closed," which indicates that the door is closed.

[0038] The antenna radiation power in the antenna radiation power column 104 is the radiation power of the entrance antenna 6A (column 104a) and the radiation power of the exit antenna 7A (column 104b). Both units are "dBm." The user can set the radiation power of the entrance antenna 6A and the radiation power of the exit antenna 7A for each door open / closed state. The radiation power of the entrance antenna 6A and the radiation power of the exit antenna 7A may be "not irradiated."

[0039] In the example of Figure 5, the inventory management device 1 causes one or both of the receiving antenna 6A and the retrieval antenna 7A to simultaneously emit radio waves at a cycle of two seconds based on the setting information on the antenna / sensor setting screen of Figure 8, which will be described later. Details of the operation of one or both of the receiving antenna 6A and the retrieval antenna 7A to output radio waves will be described in "(c) Antenna output timing."

[0040] For ease of understanding, the following describes an example of managing food stored in the top storage compartment. In this example, the top storage compartment has an entry antenna 6A on the ceiling and a double door 41 on the front. An exit antenna 7A is located in front of the door 41 (see FIG. 2). When a user opens the door 41, radio waves are emitted from the entry antenna 6A. When a user opens the door 41 and then the drawer 42, radio waves are also emitted from the entry antenna 6A.

[0041] (Read information) 6 is an example of the read information 32. In the read information 32, in association with the date and time stored in the date and time column 111, an antenna is stored in the antenna column 112, an antenna reception power is stored in the antenna reception power column 113, a manufacturer name (name of the manufacturer / seller of the food) is stored in the manufacturer name column 114, an item name is stored in the item name column 115, and a transfer flag is stored in the transfer column 116.

[0042] The date and time in the date and time column 111 is the date and time when the entrance antenna 6A or the exit antenna 7A received radio waves from the RFID tag 52, i.e., when the RFID tag 52 was read. If data is received from the terminal device 80 (see FIG. 1), the date and time is the date and time when the data is received from the terminal device 80.

[0043] The antenna in the antenna column 112 is either "entering," "retrieving," or "terminal." "entering" indicates that the antenna that read the RFID tag 52 is the entering antenna 6A. "retrieving" indicates that the antenna that read the RFID tag 52 is the retrieving antenna 7A. "Terminal" indicates that data was received from the terminal device 80 (see FIG. 1).

[0044] The antenna reception power in the antenna reception power column 113 is the power (strength) of the radio waves received from the RFID tag 52 by the entrance antenna 6A or the exit antenna 7A, and is expressed in units of "dBm."

[0045] The manufacturer name in the manufacturer name column 114 is the name of the manufacturer of the food product obtained by matching the code read from the RFID tag 52 with a database. The item name in the item name column 115 is the name of the food product (common noun) obtained by matching the code read from the RFID tag 52 with a database.

[0046] The movement flag in the movement column 116 is either "in stock", which indicates that the inventory management device 1 has detected the movement of food from outside the storage to inside the storage, or "out stock", which indicates that the inventory management device 1 has detected the movement of food from inside the storage to outside the storage.

[0047] The example in Fig. 6 corresponds to the example in Fig. 5. Looking at Fig. 6, for example, the following can be seen. <September 15, 2021 10:00:00> At this time, the door was open (see Figure 5). The tag reader / writer device 6 read "Udon" from "Company A," "Yogurt" from "Company C," and "Dressing" from "Company B" via the storage antenna 6A.

[0048] The inventory management device 1 compares the read information at 10:00:00 with the read information at 9:59:58 and confirms that "Udon" from "Company A," "Yogurt" from "Company C," and "Dressing" from "Company B" are in stock.

[0049] <September 15, 2021 10:00:02> At this time, the door was open (see Figure 5). The tag reader / writer device 6 read "Udon" from "Company A," "Yogurt" from "Company C," "Dressing" from "Company B," and "Bottled Beer" from "Company D" via the storage antenna 6A.

[0050] The inventory management device 1 compares the read information at 10:00:02 with the read information at 10:00:00 and confirms that "bottled beer" from "Company D" is an item in stock.

[0051] <September 15, 2021 10:00:50> At this time, the door was closed. The tag reader / writer device 7 read "Yogurt" from "Company C" via the shipping antenna 7A. The inventory management device 1 confirmed that "Yogurt" from "Company C" was the shipping item.

[0052] <September 15, 2021 10:05:10> At this time, the door was open. The tag reader / writer device 6 read "Udon" from "Company A" and "Bottled Beer" from "Company D" via the storage antenna 6A. The inventory management device 1 confirmed that "Udon" from "Company A" and "Bottled Beer" from "Company D" were in stock.

[0053] <September 15, 2021 11:50:30> The inventory management device 1 receives "eggs" from "Company E" as an incoming item from the terminal device 80 (see Figure 1). The "eggs" from "Company E" do not have an RFID tag 52 attached, and it is thought that the information in the two-dimensional code was read by the terminal device 80.

[0054] (Stock information) 7 is an example of inventory information 33. In inventory information 33, the date and time field 121 stores the time, the inventory location field 122 stores the inventory location, the manufacturer name field 123 stores the manufacturer name, the item name field 124 stores the item name, the inventory date field 125 stores the inventory date, and the summary field 126 stores a summary. Note that the inventory date field 125 may also be a warehouse date and time field.

[0055] The time in the date and time field 121 is the time when the inventory is confirmed. The inventory location in the inventory location field 122 is the location of the warehouse if there are multiple warehouses. The manufacturer name in the manufacturer name field 123 is the same as the manufacturer name in Figure 6. The item name in the item name field 124 is the same as the item name in Figure 6. The warehouse entry date in the warehouse entry date field 125 is used to determine whether the item has been in warehouse 4 for a long time, etc.

[0056] The summary in the summary column 126 is whether it is "warehousing."

[0057] The example in Fig. 7 corresponds to the example in Fig. 6. Looking at Fig. 7, for example, the following can be seen. At 10:05:10 on September 15, 2021, the tag reader / writer device 6 has read "Udon" from "Company A" and "Bottled Beer" from "Company D" via the storage antenna 6A, but has not read "Dressing" from "Company B." Because there are cases where the tag reader / writer device 6 has not read the "Dressing" due to the fact that it happens to be at a null point or is affected by surrounding metal containers, etc., to prevent the "Dressing" from being mistakenly recognized as being outside the storage room 4, the tag reader / writer device 6 obtains detection information from the storage antenna 6A only in an event-driven manner when the door is opened, and determines whether or not it is "Storage" in the summary field 126.

[0058] (Antenna / sensor setting screen) Figure 8 is an example of the antenna / sensor setting screen 61. The inventory management device 1 accepts settings related to antennas, etc. from a user of the inventory management device 1 on the antenna / sensor setting screen 61. The positional relationship between the receiving antenna 6A, the retrieving antenna 7A, and the door 41 in Figure 8 is as shown in Figures 2 to 4.

[0059] The user normally selects "Use" in the entry antenna 6A column 62 and also selects "Use" in the exit antenna 7A column 63. In Figure 8, ■ indicates selection and □ indicates non-selection. When performing the exit procedure using only the terminal device 80 (see Figure 1), the exit antenna 7A can also be set to "Do not use."

[0060] If the user selects "Use" for the storage antenna 6A, the user can set the irradiation power when the door is open in column 62a and the irradiation power when the door is closed in column 62b. If the user selects "Use" for the storage retrieval antenna 7A, the user can set the irradiation power when the door is closed in column 63a and the irradiation power when the door is closed in column 63b. Generally, when a user stores food in a storage warehouse, many items are often stored at once, so it is preferable that a wide range of items can be read. Therefore, it is better to have a high radio wave irradiation strength. On the other hand, when retrieving food, the RFID tag 52 is basically read by touching it or bringing it close to the RFID tag, so the radio wave irradiation strength can be low. That is, "# io ># oc " to set it as follows.

[0061] The entry of food into the storage cabinet can be detected while door 41 is open. Note that the start of radio wave irradiation may be determined by attaching a touch sensor (capacitive sensor) to the door handle, etc., so that when a user touches the handle to open the door, the touch sensor turns on to detect the door being "open" (i.e., radio wave irradiation begins).

[0062] The user selects either "Use" or "Do not use" in the kitchen human presence sensor field 64. If the user wants to process deliveries only when there is someone in the kitchen, the user selects "Use." The user selects either "Use" or "Do not use" in the kitchen illuminance sensor field 65. For example, if the user wants to process deliveries only when someone enters the kitchen at night, the user selects "Use."

[0063] There is a case where "Use" is selected in at least one of the kitchen human presence sensor field 64 and the kitchen illuminance sensor field 65. In this case, the inventory management device 1 outputs the irradiation power of the retrieval antenna 7A in response to the detection of a person by the human presence sensor or the detection of illuminance above a predetermined threshold by the illuminance sensor.

[0064] The user sets the radio wave irradiation periods of the entrance antenna 6A and the exit antenna 7A in the antenna radio wave irradiation period field 66. Typically, the user selects field 66b and field 66f and enters, for example, "1" in the brackets [ ] in field 66b and enters, for example, "90" in the brackets [ ] in field 66f. Similarly, if the user selects "Use" in the kitchen human presence sensor field 64, the user selects field 66c and / or field 66g and enters an appropriate value in the brackets [ ]. If the user selects "Use" in the kitchen illuminance sensor field 65, the user selects field 66d and / or field 66h and enters an appropriate value in the brackets [ ].

[0065] Although the irradiation power is input by the user in this embodiment, the provider of the storage 4 may set an appropriate value in accordance with the law, such as "36 dBm" or less if a radio license is required, or "27 dBm" or less if a radio license is not required, depending on the user's preference for whether a radio license is required or not. Also, the user may select from three levels, such as strong (if compatible with a radio base station license), medium (if no radio base station application is required), and weak (if no radio base station application is required).

[0066] While door 41 is being closed, the distance and direction between RFID tag 52 attached to food stored in article holding means 43 (door pocket) provided on door 41 and storage antenna 6A change. In response to this, storage antenna 6A is also characterized by being able to more easily receive radio waves from RFID tag 52. Similarly, while drawer 44 is being closed, the distance and direction between RFID tag 52 attached to food stored in drawer 44 and storage antenna 6A change. In response to this, storage antenna 6A is also characterized by being able to more easily receive radio waves from RFID tag 52.

[0067] (Processing Procedure) FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a processing procedure. In step S201, the input / output processing unit 21 of the inventory management device 1 determines whether or not the door 41 has been opened. If the door 41 has not been opened (step S201, No), the process returns to step S201; if the door 41 has been opened (step S201, Yes), the process proceeds to step S202.

[0068] In step S202, the input / output processing unit 21 causes the tag reader / writer device 6 to start outputting radio waves from the receiving antenna 6A. Specifically, the input / output processing unit 21 causes the receiving antenna 6A to emit radio waves and receive reflected radio waves. At this time, the receiving antenna 6A is assumed to simultaneously read RFID tags attached to multiple foods.

[0069] In step S203, the tag reader / writer device 6 transmits the read information from the RFID tag to the input / output processing unit 21 of the inventory management device 1, and the input / output processing unit 21 stores the read information as read information 32.

[0070] In step S204, the input / output processing unit 21 of the inventory management device 1 determines whether or not it has detected that the door 41 has been closed. If the door 41 is not closed (step S204, No (open)), the process returns to step S203; if the door 41 is closed (step S204, Yes (closed)), the process proceeds to steps S205 and S208.

[0071] In step S205, the tag reader / writer device 6 transmits the read information from the RFID tag to the input / output processing unit 21 of the inventory management device 1, and the input / output processing unit 21 stores the read information as read information 32.

[0072] In step S206, the input / output processing unit 21 determines whether the set time (for example, 1 second in field 66b) for the storage antenna 6A set on the antenna / sensor setting screen 61 has elapsed, and if the set time has not elapsed (step S206, No), the process returns to step S205, and if the set time has elapsed (step S206, Yes), the process proceeds to step S207. Here, the set time in step S206 may be set to 0. Details of the time set in step S206 will be described in "(c) Antenna output timing."

[0073] In step S207, the input / output processing unit 21 causes the tag reader / writer device 6 to stop outputting radio waves from the storage antenna 6A.

[0074] In step S208, the input / output processing unit 21 starts outputting radio waves from the leaving antenna 7A of the tag reader / writer device 7. Specifically, the input / output processing unit 21 causes the leaving antenna 7A to emit radio waves and receives reflected radio waves.

[0075] In step S209, the tag reader / writer device 7 transmits the read information from the RFID tag to the input / output processing unit 21 of the inventory management device 1, and the input / output processing unit 21 stores the read information as read information 32.

[0076] In step S210, the input / output processing unit 21 determines whether the set time (for example, 90 seconds in field 66f) for the exit antenna 7A set on the antenna / sensor setting screen 61 has elapsed, and if the set time has not elapsed (step S210, No), it returns to step S209, and if the set time has elapsed (step S210, Yes), it proceeds to step S211.

[0077] In step S211, the input / output processing unit 21 causes the tag reader / writer device 7 to stop outputting radio waves from the leaving antenna 7A.

[0078] In step S212, the input / output processing unit 21 updates the stock information 33 based on the read information 32, and the process returns to step S201.

[0079] As described above, the inventory management system 100 can appropriately manage the entry and exit of goods into and from the storage facility 4. The functions and features of the inventory control system 100 will now be further described. (a) RFID tag recognition when entering and leaving the warehouse When entering the warehouse, the RFID tag can be read from a distance using the entrance antenna 6A installed inside the warehouse, allowing automatic recognition. When leaving the warehouse, the exit antenna 7A (recognition position) is placed in a position that can be touched when the door is closed, and the RFID tag is touched to the exit antenna 7A (at a distance of approximately 0 to 5 cm, this is called touching) so that the RFID tag can be detected, i.e., the radio wave strength is reduced so that it can only be detected in the vicinity. When storing food, the user places the food / ingredients with an RFID tag inside the refrigerator with the door open. At that time, the RFID tag moves as it is placed inside the refrigerator, so it is possible to prevent the RFID tag from going undetected because the relative position changes when it moves to a null point inside the refrigerator for the receiving antenna radio waves or when the RFID tag is hidden in the shadow of a metal object. Since it is possible to prevent the RFID tag from going undetected when it is stored, there is no need to wait for the door to be in a steady state when inventory is being held, or to periodically update the inventory list, and it is possible to prevent the erroneous determination of "removal" as in Patent Documents 1 and 2.

[0080] Furthermore, when the food is being taken out, the user closes the door and brings the food with an RFID tag close to the take-out antenna, which reads the RFID tag and properly detects that the food has been taken out.

[0081] When multiple foods / ingredients are taken out of the refrigerator (before the refrigerator door is closed), the taken-out foods / ingredients are sometimes moved to the counter and the next item is taken out. In this case, when trying to recognize the RFID tag at the time of taking out, just as when taking in, the time that the RFID-tagged food is between the RW antenna (read / write antenna) and the user is short, and the radio waves are blocked by the user's body, so the RFID tag cannot be read by the antenna installed in the refrigerator, making it impossible to recognize that it has been taken out, which creates an issue of reduced accuracy in determining inventory at the time of taking out.

[0082] In this embodiment, when items are shipped out, the RFID tag can be moved between the shipping antenna 7A, which is an RW antenna, and the user, so that the items can be reliably recognized as being shipped out by touching the RFID tags of the shipped items to the shipping antenna 7A in order.

[0083] Furthermore, when removing multiple items, the number of foods that can be picked up and removed at one time is limited, so it is difficult to recognize that the food has been removed if the door is left open. Therefore, the user must close the door to recognize that the food has been removed. This prevents cold air from escaping the refrigerator or air from around the refrigerator from flowing into the refrigerator when the door is left open, thereby reducing the amount of electricity consumed.

[0084] (b) Output of the exit antenna 7A The antenna output (radio wave strength) should be such that the incoming antenna is greater than the outgoing antenna. This can be set on the antenna sensor setting screen shown in Figure 8. For shipping, RFID tags for distribution (antenna size: approximately 22 x 44 mm) can be recognized even if they are approximately 5 cm away from the antenna with an output of approximately 10 dBm. In this embodiment, touch recognition refers to recognizing RFID tags that are approximately 0 to 5 cm away. As mentioned above, the radio wave strength of the antenna when it is outputting is as follows: incoming antenna > outgoing antenna. In other words, the maximum distance at which the antenna can recognize an RFID tag is as follows: incoming antenna > outgoing antenna, allowing automatic recognition for incoming and manual recognition by touch for outgoing.

[0085] The leaving antenna 7A is preferably an antenna capable of detecting short distances with a communication distance of 5 cm or less. For example, in the case of an aperture antenna, if the antenna length is D and the wavelength of the radio wave used is λ, the near-field distance is R=2D. 2 / λ. Therefore, D = √(Rλ / 2) = √(50 326 / 2) = 90.3 mm. If a UHF frequency of f = 920 MHz is used, the wavelength is λ = 326 mm. In other words, if the tag reading distance is to be within 50 mm, the aperture antenna length should be 90 mm. Note that there is no problem with changing the antenna length as long as the same effect is obtained depending on the antenna structure.

[0086] (c) Antenna output timing The entrance / exit antennas each output radio waves in pulses at intervals of about 100 milliseconds. The timing of these pulses determines the time for which the entrance antenna 6A emits radio waves after the door / drawer is closed (the time set in step S206) and the reader / writer configuration as follows:

[0087] FIG. 14 is a diagram showing the output timing of radio waves from the entrance antenna 6A and the exit antenna 7A. In each of FIGS. 14(1) to (4), the horizontal axis represents time, with the upper axis showing the output timing of the entrance antenna 6A and the lower axis showing the output timing of the exit antenna 7A. Radio waves are output above the rectangular wave showing the output timing, and no radio waves are output below. The period of the pulses that make up the rectangular wave is generally on the order of 100 milliseconds, but this is just an example and other lengths may be used.

[0088] In the case of (1), the set time in step S206 is zero seconds. In this case, only the entry antenna 6A outputs radio waves when the door / drawer is open, and only the exit antenna 7A outputs radio waves after the door / drawer is closed. Therefore, it is desirable to use either a configuration consisting of two reader / writers, one for the entry antenna 6A and one for the exit antenna 7A, or a configuration in which one reader / writer and a switch for switching the connection path between the entry antenna 6A and the exit antenna 7A are inserted into the output terminal of the reader / writer. It is also acceptable for the radio wave irradiation area 8 of the entry antenna 6A shown in FIG. 2 to partially overlap with the radio wave irradiation area 9 of the exit antenna 7A when the door / drawer is closed. This is because the entry antenna 6A does not read the tag during exit, so erroneous determination will not occur.

[0089] In the case of (2), the set time in step S206 is a value greater than zero seconds. In this case, since the slots from which the storage-entry antenna 6A and the storage-exit antenna 7A output radio waves do not overlap, it is desirable to use either a configuration consisting of two reader / writers, one for the storage-entry antenna 6A and one for the storage-exit antenna 7A, as in the case of (1), or a configuration in which one reader / writer and a switch for switching the connection path to the storage-entry antenna 6A and the storage-exit antenna 7A are inserted into the output terminal of the reader / writer. It is also acceptable for the radio wave irradiation area 8 of the storage-entry antenna 6A shown in FIG. 2 to partially overlap with the radio wave irradiation area 9 of the storage-exit antenna 7A when the door / drawer is closed. This is for the following reason.

[0090] First, even if part of the radio wave irradiation area 8 overlaps with the radio wave irradiation area 9, the slots through which the receiving antenna 6A and the retrieval antenna 7A output radio waves do not overlap, so interference between tag reading signals does not occur. Furthermore, because part of the radio wave irradiation area 8 overlaps with the radio wave irradiation area 9, if the receiving antenna 6A reads an RFID tag outside the storage unit before or after it is read by the retrieval antenna 7A during retrieval, the tag read result by the retrieval antenna 7A is weighted more heavily as the RFID tag read result used for determining inventory after the door / drawer is closed, thereby eliminating erroneous readings by the receiving antenna 6A. Furthermore, if the RFID tag cannot be read by the retrieval antenna 7A after the door / drawer is closed but can be read by the receiving antenna 6A, this is because the user did not request retrieval management (e.g., condiments are re-entered shortly after being retrieval, so retrieval determination is not required), and therefore the inventory management function provided by the present invention is not impaired.

[0091] In the case of (3), the time set in step S206 is a value greater than zero seconds. In this case, the slots through which the entry antenna 6A and the exit antenna 7A output radio waves all overlap, so the reader / writer is configured with at least two readers / writers, one connected to the entry antenna 6A and one connected to the exit antenna 7A. It is also desirable that the radio wave irradiation area 8 of the entry antenna 6A shown in FIG. 2 does not overlap with the radio wave irradiation area 9 of the exit antenna 7A when the door / drawer is closed. This is because overlapping of the slots through which the entry antenna 6A and the exit antenna 7A output radio waves could cause signal interference and prevent accurate reading of tag information. Therefore, it is desirable to place a radio wave shielding material, such as a metal object or an insulating material coated with aluminum vapor deposition material, on the front of the door 41, drawer 42, or drawer 44.

[0092] In the case of (4): The time set in step S206 is a value greater than zero seconds. In this case, the slots from which the storage entry antenna 6A and the storage exit antenna 7A output radio waves partially overlap, so the reader / writer is configured with at least two readers / writers, one connected to the storage entry antenna 6A and one connected to the storage exit antenna 7A. Also, it is desirable that the radio wave irradiation area 8 of the storage entry antenna 6A shown in Figure 2 does not overlap with the radio wave irradiation area 9 of the storage exit antenna 7A when the door / drawer is closed. The reason for this is the same as that described in (3).

[0093] The time for which the exit antenna 7A emits radio waves after the door / drawer is closed is, for example, about 30 seconds to 1 minute. This can be set arbitrarily on the antenna / sensor setting screen shown in Figure 8. To obtain information on whether a door / drawer is open or closed, it is advisable to use a door open / close sensor. In addition to the door open / close sensor, a human sensor, an outside camera, an inside camera (activated when the door is opened), and a touch sensor can be used to recognize when the product has been taken out (used up for disposal, etc.) even after the door has not been opened or closed.A touch switch or mechanical switch that activates the take-out antenna 7A may also be provided near the take-out antenna 7A.

[0094] When leaving the warehouse, the system is less susceptible to the influence of the entrance antenna 6A, making it less likely to be recognized incorrectly. The exit antenna 7A can be turned on even if the door is not opened. In addition, the antenna does not need to output radio waves at all times; by detecting user actions such as opening and closing the door, the system can start operation event-driven, thereby suppressing increases in power consumption. In this embodiment, even when multiple items are being removed from the warehouse, detection is possible for a certain period of time after the door is closed so that they can be recognized.

[0095] (d) Distinguishing between receiving and inventory when detected by receiving antenna 6A If it is on the stock list, the stock list will remain as is. If it is not on the inventory list, it is added to the inventory list as a newly received item. Even if the receiving antenna 6A cannot recognize an item in the warehouse that is on the inventory list at the time of receiving detection, it will not be mistakenly detected as "out of stock."

[0096] (e) Distinguishing between goods receipts and deliveries When the receiving antenna 6A recognizes an item to be shipped at the time of receiving detection, the user closes the door 41, stops receiving from the receiving antenna 6A (stops power supply and starts idling), then enables receiving from the shipping antenna 7A (starts power supply and stops idling), and has the shipping antenna 7A detect the RFID tag. The inventory management device 1 then removes the item from the inventory list as being shipped, and updates the inventory list. Even if the receiving antenna 6A recognizes a food item to be shipped as being received due to the receiving detection timing or storage location, the shipping antenna 7A detects the RFID tag when the user ships it out, so the item can be properly updated from the inventory list as being shipped out.

[0097] When an item is taken out of the refrigerator and then returned to the refrigerator after use, the user does not need to have the take-out antenna 7A recognize that the item has been taken out. Even if the user has not recognized the shipment, if the receipt is recognized again, it can be recorded as receipt / inventory. It is also possible not to recognize the product being taken out of the refrigerator, but to recognize the product being taken out when it is discarded after being used up (such as dressing). If it is in the inventory list, the inventory list will remain as is. If it is not in the inventory list, it will be added to the inventory list as a new item. The inventory list can be updated according to the user's intentions, making it easy to use.

[0098] (f) A similar configuration can be used to detect inventory not only in refrigerators but also in storage cabinets, such as in kitchen storage cabinets, as shown in Figure 1.

[0099] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a storage warehouse with multiple antennas attached to the door 41. In comparison with FIG. 2, FIG. 10 has multiple antennas attached to the door 41, a retrieval antenna 71A and an order placement antenna 72A. The retrieval antenna 71A can read RFID tags 52 present within its own radio wave irradiation area 9. The order placement antenna 72A can read RFID tags 52 present within its own radio wave irradiation area 9. The retrieval antenna 71A and the order placement antenna 72A have low radio wave intensities so that the RFID tags 52 cannot be detected unless they are touched (at a distance of approximately 0 to 5 cm). When the door 41 is closed, the inventory management device 1 outputs radio waves from the retrieval antenna 71A and the order placement antenna 72A, and stops outputting radio waves from the retrieval antenna 6A.

[0100] Fig. 11 is a diagram illustrating another configuration of the inventory management device 1. Compared to Fig. 1, Fig. 11 adds an order management unit 23 to the main storage device 14 and adds order information 35 to the auxiliary storage device 15.

[0101] When the RFID tag 52 is touched (recognized) to the shipping antenna 71A at the time of shipping, it is deleted from the inventory list based on the inventory information 33. This process is sufficient for items that are not regularly stocked, do not need to be purchased immediately, or only need to know the usage history.

[0102] When an item is taken out of stock, touching (recognizing) the RFID tag 52 to the ordering antenna 72A registers it in an order list based on the order information 35 and deletes it from the inventory list. Since out-of-stock items are not registered in the inventory list, it is difficult to create an order list while remembering items that are likely to run out of stock at a later date. However, by using the method described above, it is not necessary to create an order list while remembering items that are likely to run out of stock at a later date. For example, if you want to prevent stockouts of regular stock items, you can easily prevent stockouts by ordering from the order list.

[0103] Furthermore, when checking an inventory list and creating an order list, it may be necessary to check how much is left. For example, when creating or checking an order list while away from home, it is difficult to check the remaining amount of a partially used dressing yourself, and creating an order list while remembering whether or not you should have added it to the order list is difficult. In the case of a regular item such as dressing, which is returned to the refrigerator after use (storing partially used dressing), touching the RFID tag 52 to the ordering antenna 72A when the remaining amount is low can register it on the order list, and when the user finally uses it up, touching the RFID tag 52 to the shipping antenna 71A can remove it from the inventory list. Also, for foods such as dressing that should be used refrigerated, users may always keep one or more bottles of dressing in the refrigerator. One bottle of dressing can be checked on the inventory list, but when the bottle is opened, touching (recognizing) the RFID tag 52 to the ordering antenna 72A can register it on the order list. This allows users to check the order list and replenish the dressing before it runs out. In this way, it is preferable to make it possible to check and set the stock list and order list using a smartphone or the like of the terminal device 80 (see FIG. 1).

[0104] Fig. 12 is a diagram illustrating another storage facility in which multiple antennas are provided on the door 41. Compared to Fig. 10, Fig. 12 shows a case in which multiple touch antennas for ordering are provided on the door 41. That is, a retrieval antenna 71A, an ordering antenna 72A, and an ordering antenna 73A are provided on the double-door door 41.

[0105] For example, a touch antenna for the refrigerator and an antenna for ordering in the kitchen storage cabinet are installed on the refrigerator door 41. As mentioned above, refrigerator inventory management uses the shipping antenna 71A and the ordering antenna 72A to manage receiving, shipping, and ordering. On the other hand, the ordering antenna 73A is used when ordering items in the storage cabinet as stock. Specifically, it is recommended to use it to order when replenishing wrap for stock items.

[0106] The inventory management device 1 may be configured to be able to create an order list from a shipping list of outgoing items, or to be able to place an order from the created order list. Foods and ingredients registered in the stock list based on the stock information 33 can be registered as regular stock items (flagged) in the stock list, and can be automatically registered in the ordering list when they are recorded as being delivered. For example, the user can move from a one-week delivery list or a delivery list that stores the latest delivery of any number of items (for example, 10 items) to the order list. The terminal device 80 may be notified of the items removed from the inventory list and added / recommended to the shopping list or automatic ordering list. When an order is placed with EC (electronic commerce) etc. using the ordering list, the ordered item is deleted from the ordering list. If a food / ingredient that was on the ordering list (shopping list) is recognized as a new food / ingredient with a new serial number (S / N) by the EPC code (with serial number (S / N)) of the RFID tag / QR code, it can be deleted from the ordering list. It is possible to recommend specific e-commerce sites or e-commerce sites with the lowest total price for the order list, which helps prevent stockouts of regular items, reduces the effort of creating shopping lists, and reduces the effort and burden of shopping by automatically ordering. It is advisable to notify the terminal device 80 such as a smartphone of the deleted items or the latest inventory list (updated incoming and outgoing items).

[0107] Next, the relationship between the terminal device 80 and the inventory management device 1 will be described. In this embodiment, a two-dimensional barcode such as a QR code / JAN code can be read using the camera of a terminal device 80 (see FIG. 1) such as a smartphone, and can be added to the inventory list. (a) Entry detection (a1) If the food 51 does not have an RFID tag 52, a two-dimensional barcode such as a QR code / JAN code is read by the camera of the terminal device 80 and added to the inventory list. In an inventory management system that mixes radio wave recognition RFID and image recognition QR codes / JAN codes, there is no need for periodic inventory checks using the RFID RW antenna, so items that do not have RFID tags 52 cannot be detected as RFID tags and are therefore not mistakenly detected as having been shipped. Inventory lists other than those at the time of receiving goods can be updated by detecting the RFID tag 52 at the time of shipment or when the RFID tag 52 is detected as being in stock / shipped (discarded) or when the list is operated, so there is no need to frequently update the inventory list.

[0108] (a2) When multiple items that do not have serial numbers (S / N) (items that do not conform to the EPC code, which allows the product to be identified but does not have all of the RFID codes) are scanned with a camera, the number of items scanned can be counted as having been received, making it possible to manage the number in the same way as with RFID. Also, when an item that does not have a serial number (S / N) (as mentioned above, does not comply with the EPC code) is scanned by a camera, it would be possible to enter the number of items on the inventory list. The quantity can be entered numerically, or the quantity in the inventory list can be modified using symbols such as "+", "-", "<", and ">". Also, if an item that does not have a serial number (S / N) (as mentioned above, does not comply with the EPC code) is scanned by the camera, for items that are already displayed on the inventory list, the number can be entered numerically on the inventory list, or the number on the inventory list can be corrected using symbols such as "+", "-", "<", and ">".

[0109] (a3) In the case of a tag (hybrid tag) that has both RFID and a QR code containing a code similar to RFID printed on it, even if the RFID tag is disconnected, inventory management is possible by reading the QR code with the camera of the terminal device 80. (b) Delete manually or by voice recognition from the inventory list display interface If the terminal device 80 is a smartphone or a smart speaker (voice recognition device), manual / voice recognition is possible. That is, outgoing detection can be performed using a device other than the outgoing antenna 7A (entering detection can be performed by detecting the RFID tag 52 or by detecting the image of the QR code / JAN code). (b1) Items on the inventory list may be manually deleted from the inventory list. If a device is equipped with voice recognition, deletion from the inventory list may be instructed by voice. For example, the inventory list can be checked on a smartphone. (b2) When multiple items that do not have a serial number (S / N) (do not comply with the EPC code) are shipped, the number can be managed in the same way by deleting the number of items shipped from the inventory list. Note that the number of items shipped can be entered numerically on the inventory list, or the inventory list can be modified by increasing or decreasing it using symbols such as "+", "-", "<", and ">".

[0110] The relationship between the terminal device 80 and the inventory management device 1 has been explained, but the storehouse 4 may be provided with a display device or the like and may have the same functions as the terminal device 80.

[0111] The inventory management system of this embodiment described above has the following features. (1) The storage facility 4 includes an inside receiving antenna 6A that is provided to be able to communicate with a wireless tag (e.g., RFID tag 52) attached to an item stored therein, an outside retrieval antenna 7A that is provided to be able to communicate with the wireless tag when the item is being retrieved, an item information acquisition unit (e.g., tag reader / writer devices 6, 7) that acquires item information by communicating with the wireless tag via the receiving antenna 6A or the retrieval antenna 7A, and an inventory management device 1 that manages the items in the storage facility 4 based on the acquired item information. When the door of the storage facility 4 is open, the inventory management device 1 outputs radio waves from the receiving antenna 6A, and when the door is closed, the inventory management device 1 outputs radio waves from the retrieval antenna 7A. This allows for appropriate inventory management within the storage facility.

[0112] (2) When the door is open, the inventory management device 1 outputs radio waves from the receiving antenna 6A and stops outputting radio waves from the retrieving antenna 7A, and when the door is closed, the inventory management device 1 outputs radio waves from the retrieving antenna 7A and stops outputting radio waves from the receiving antenna 6A. This prevents false detection during retrieval.

[0113] (3) The radio wave strength of the receiving antenna 6A when communicating with the wireless tag is stronger than the radio wave strength of the retrieving antenna 7A when communicating with the wireless tag. This prevents erroneous determination of retrieval at the time of retrieval.

[0114] (4) The number of receiving antennas 6A should be equal to or greater than the number of retrieval antennas 7A. Because multiple antennas are provided for receiving, even if one antenna cannot recognize the RFID tag when an item is received, it can be determined as being received if the RFID tag can be recognized by another antenna, allowing for accurate detection of incoming items. At least one retrieval antenna 7A is positioned so that when the door is closed, the user can easily touch the retrieval antenna 7A to the tagged outgoing item when the item is retrieving, thereby preventing erroneous determination of outgoing items when the item is retrieving.

[0115] (5) The storage facility 4 has a plurality of storage compartments, and an entrance antenna 6A is provided in each storage compartment of the storage facility 4, and an exit antenna 7A is provided on the outer surface of the storage facility 4.

[0116] (6) An item is assigned a two-dimensional code, and when the inventory management device 1 receives information about the two-dimensional code, it can add the item based on the information about the two-dimensional code to the inventory list held by the inventory management device 1.

[0117] (7) The inventory management device 1 can communicate with the terminal device 80, and the inventory management device 1 can delete information about an item from the inventory list based on a request from the terminal device 80 to delete the item.

[0118] (8) The inventory management device 1 can create an order list from the shipping list of shipped items.

[0119] (9) The leaving antenna 7A is a short-distance antenna with a communication distance of 5 cm or less, which prevents erroneous leaving determination when leaving the warehouse.

[0120] (10) After the door is closed, the inventory management device 1 can continuously output radio waves from the warehousing antenna 6A for a set period of time. The set period of time is set in the field 66b in FIG. 8. The set period of time corresponds to the set period of the warehousing antenna 6A in step S206 in FIG. 9.

[0121] (11) The inventory management system 100 further includes an order antenna that is placed outside the storehouse 4 and that reads the wireless tag of the ordered item (see FIGS. 10, 11, and 12).

[0122] (12) A storage facility 4 for storing items includes an inside receiving antenna 6A that is provided to be able to communicate with a wireless tag (e.g., RFID tag 52) attached to an item stored in the storage facility 4, an outside receiving antenna 7A that is provided to be able to communicate with the wireless tag when the item is being removed from the storage facility, an item information acquisition unit that acquires item information by communicating with the wireless tag via the receiving antenna 6A or the retrieval antenna 7A, and an inventory management device 1 that manages items in the storage facility 4 based on the acquired item information, wherein the inventory management device 1 outputs radio waves from the receiving antenna 6A when the door of the storage facility 4 is open, and outputs radio waves from the retrieval antenna 7A when the door is closed. This allows for appropriate inventory management within the storage facility.

[0123] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, but includes various modifications. For example, the above-described embodiments have been described in detail to clearly explain the present invention, and the present invention is not necessarily limited to those including all of the described configurations. Furthermore, it is possible to replace part of the configuration of one embodiment with the configuration of another embodiment, or to add the configuration of another embodiment to the configuration of one embodiment. Furthermore, it is possible to add, delete, or replace part of the configuration of each embodiment with other configurations.

[0124] Furthermore, the above-mentioned configurations, functions, processing units, processing means, etc. may be partly or entirely implemented in hardware, for example, by designing them as integrated circuits. The above-mentioned configurations, functions, etc. may also be implemented in software, with a processor interpreting and executing a program that implements each function. Information such as the programs, tables, and files that implement each function can be stored in a memory, a recording device such as a hard disk or SSD (Solid State Drive), or a recording medium such as an IC card, SD card, or DVD. Furthermore, the control lines and information lines shown are those deemed necessary for explanation, and do not necessarily represent all control lines and information lines in the product. In reality, it can be assumed that almost all components are interconnected. Various information about the inventory management device 1 may be stored on the cloud. [Explanation of symbols]

[0125] 1. Inventory management device 2 Network 3. Kitchen 4 Storage 6. Tag reader / writer device (item information acquisition unit) 6A Storage antenna 7. Tag reader / writer device (item information acquisition unit) 7A Exit antenna 8,9 Radio wave irradiation area 11 Central control unit 12 Input Devices 13 Output Devices 14 Main memory 15 Auxiliary storage 16. Communications equipment 21 Input / output processing section 22 Inventory Management Department 23 Order Management Department 31 Opening and closing information 32 Reading information 33 Stock Information 34 Ordering Information 41 Door 42,44 Drawers 43 Item holding means (door pocket) 51 Food 52 RFID tags (wireless tags) 61 Antenna / sensor setting screen 80 Terminal Equipment 100 Inventory Management System

Claims

1. an antenna for storing items in the storage facility that is provided so as to be able to communicate with wireless tags attached to items stored in the storage facility; an antenna for retrieval outside the warehouse that is provided so as to be able to communicate with the wireless tag when the item is retrieving; an article information acquisition unit that acquires article information by communicating with the wireless tag via the storage antenna or the retrieval antenna; an inventory management device that manages the items in the storage facility based on the acquired item information, When the door of the storage warehouse is open, the inventory management device outputs radio waves from the receiving antenna, and in response to the receiving antenna detecting a wireless tag, confirms whether the item associated with the wireless tag is an incoming item or an in-stock item; when the door is closed, the inventory management device outputs radio waves from the outgoing antenna, and in response to the outgoing antenna detecting a wireless tag, confirms whether the item associated with the wireless tag is an outgoing item. An inventory control system characterized by:

2. The inventory management device When the door is open, a radio wave is output from the entrance antenna and the output of the radio wave from the exit antenna is stopped; When the door is closed, the exit antenna outputs radio waves and the entrance antenna stops outputting radio waves.

2. The inventory management system according to claim 1.

3. The radio wave intensity of the front entry antenna when communicating with the wireless tag is greater than the radio wave intensity of the output antenna when communicating with the wireless tag.

2. The inventory management system according to claim 1.

4. The number of the entrance antennas is equal to or greater than the number of the exit antennas.

2. The inventory management system according to claim 1.

5. The storage facility has a plurality of storage compartments, The storage antenna is provided in each storage room of the storage facility, The retrieval antenna is provided on the outer surface of the storage facility.

2. The inventory management system according to claim 1.

6. The inventory management device creates an order list from the out-of-stock list of out-of-stock items.

2. The inventory management system according to claim 1.

7. The leaving antenna is a short-distance antenna with a communication distance of 5 cm or less.

2. The inventory management system according to claim 1.

8. The inventory management device outputs radio waves continuously for a set period of time from the storage antenna after the door is closed.

2. The inventory management system according to claim 1.

9. The inventory management system further includes an ordering antenna that is disposed outside the storage facility and that reads the wireless tag of the ordered item. The inventory management system according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

10. A storage facility for storing items, an antenna for storing items in the storage facility that is provided so as to be capable of communicating with wireless tags attached to items stored in the storage facility; an antenna for retrieval outside the warehouse that is provided so as to be able to communicate with the wireless tag when the item is retrieving; an article information acquisition unit that acquires article information by communicating with the wireless tag via the storage antenna or the retrieval antenna; an inventory management device that manages the items in the storage facility based on the acquired item information, When the door of the storage warehouse is open, the inventory management device outputs radio waves from the receiving antenna, and in response to the receiving antenna detecting a wireless tag, confirms whether the item associated with the wireless tag is an incoming item or an in-stock item; when the door is closed, the inventory management device outputs radio waves from the outgoing antenna, and in response to the outgoing antenna detecting a wireless tag, confirms whether the item associated with the wireless tag is an outgoing item. A storage facility characterized by:

11. An antenna for storing items in the storage facility that is provided so as to be able to communicate with wireless tags attached to items stored in the storage facility; an antenna for retrieval outside the warehouse that is provided so as to be able to communicate with the wireless tag when the item is retrieving; an article information acquisition unit that acquires article information by communicating with the wireless tag via the storage antenna or the retrieval antenna; an inventory management device that manages the items in the storage facility based on the acquired item information, The inventory management device outputs radio waves from the receiving antenna, and in response to the receiving antenna detecting a wireless tag, confirms whether the item associated with the wireless tag is an incoming item or an in-stock item, and outputs radio waves from the outgoing antenna, and in response to the outgoing antenna detecting a wireless tag, confirms whether the item associated with the wireless tag is an outgoing item. An inventory control system characterized by:

12. A storage facility for storing items, comprising: an antenna for storing items in the storage facility that is provided so as to be capable of communicating with wireless tags attached to items stored in the storage facility; an antenna for retrieval outside the warehouse that is provided so as to be able to communicate with the wireless tag when the item is retrieving; an article information acquisition unit that acquires article information by communicating with the wireless tag via the storage antenna or the retrieval antenna; an inventory management device that manages the items in the storage facility based on the acquired item information, The inventory management device outputs radio waves from the receiving antenna, and in response to the receiving antenna detecting a wireless tag, confirms whether the item associated with the wireless tag is an incoming item or an in-stock item, and outputs radio waves from the outgoing antenna, and in response to the outgoing antenna detecting a wireless tag, confirms whether the item associated with the wireless tag is an outgoing item. A storage facility characterized by:

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