Inventory management device, inventory management method, and inventory management system

Abstract

To provide an inventory management device, an inventory management method, and an inventory management system capable of improving accuracy of an article inventory management.SOLUTION: An inventory management device 7 is provided inside a refrigerator 3 and outside the refrigerator 3 respectively, and comprises a first antenna 71 and a second antenna 72 to communicate with an RFID tag 6 attached to an article W, and a controller 74, where the controller receives a first electric wave from the RFID tag 6 and a second electric wave from a communication tag via the first antenna 71 and the second antenna 72 respectively, and determines carrying in / out the article W based on time series variation of a magnitude relation between the intensity of the first electric wave P1 and of the second electric wave P2 by performing the communication with the RFID tag 6 which is attached to the article W passing through the first gate 31 and the second gate 32, using the first antenna 71 and the second antenna 72.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an inventory management device, an inventory management method, and an inventory management system. [Background technology]

[0002] Previously, it has been proposed to manage inventory of items using RFID tags attached to items and antennas installed in storage areas that communicate with the RFID tags (i.e., detecting items stored in a storage area while they are stationary).

[0003] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a refrigerator with inventory management function that includes a food storage container, an information tag attached to the food storage container for sending and receiving identification information of the food, and an information tag transmitter / receiver installed in the refrigerator for sending and receiving information to and from the information tag. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-317859 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, in the refrigerator with inventory management function described in Patent Document 1, many food storage containers are stored stacked on top of each other, which reduces the accuracy of detection, and therefore reduces the accuracy of inventory management.

[0006] In view of the above circumstances, an object of the present invention is to provide an inventory management device, an inventory management method, and an inventory management system that improve the accuracy of inventory management of goods. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] According to one aspect of the present invention, a storage system includes a first antenna and a second antenna provided inside and outside a storage area, respectively, for communicating with a communication tag attached to an item; and a controller that communicates with the communication tag attached to an item passing through a predetermined point located on the boundary between the inside and outside of the storage area using the first antenna and the second antenna, receives a first radio wave from the communication tag and a second radio wave from the communication tag via the first antenna and the second antenna, respectively, and determines whether an item is being carried in or out based on a time-series change in the magnitude relationship between the intensity of the first radio wave and the intensity of the second radio wave. The first antenna and the second antenna are each disposed apart from the predetermined location, and the predetermined location is located in an overlapping communication area where a communication area of ​​the first antenna and a communication area of ​​the second antenna overlap. An inventory control device is provided.

[0008] According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an inventory management method for managing inventory of items using a first antenna and a second antenna that are provided inside and outside a storage area, respectively, for communicating with a communication tag attached to an item, the method including: a receiving step of receiving a first radio wave from the communication tag and a second radio wave from the communication tag via the first antenna and the second antenna, respectively, by communicating with the communication tag attached to an item that passes through a predetermined point located on the boundary between the inside and outside of the storage area, and a determining step of determining whether an item is being carried in or out based on a time-series change in the magnitude relationship between the intensity of the first radio wave and the intensity of the second radio wave. The first antenna and the second antenna are each disposed apart from the predetermined location, and the predetermined location is located in an overlapping communication area where the communication area of ​​the first antenna and the communication area of ​​the second antenna overlap. An inventory control method is provided.

[0009] According to another aspect of the present invention, a storage system includes a communication tag attached to an item, a first antenna and a second antenna that are provided inside and outside a storage area, respectively, for communicating with the communication tag, and a controller that communicates with the communication tag attached to an item that passes through a predetermined point located on the boundary between the inside and outside of the storage area using the first antenna and the second antenna, receives a first radio wave from the communication tag and a second radio wave from the communication tag via the first antenna and the second antenna, respectively, and determines whether the item is being carried in or out based on a time-series change in the magnitude relationship between the intensity of the first radio wave and the intensity of the second radio wave. The first antenna and the second antenna are each disposed apart from the predetermined location, and the predetermined location is located in an overlapping communication area where a communication area of ​​the first antenna and a communication area of ​​the second antenna overlap. An inventory control system is provided. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] According to these aspects, the accuracy of inventory management of goods can be improved. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0011] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating an inventory management system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an RFID tag. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a controller and components connected to the controller. [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of displaying an inventory management status on a display unit. [Figure 5] 10 is a flowchart showing an inventory management process according to the present embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a mechanism for determining whether an item has been removed from inside the refrigerator to outside the refrigerator. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a mechanism for determining whether an item has been carried into the refrigerator from outside the refrigerator. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing an inventory management system according to a modified example. [Figure 9]10 is a flowchart showing inventory management processing according to the second embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0012] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention (hereinafter referred to as the present embodiment) will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Note that in this specification, the same elements are designated by the same reference numerals throughout.

[0013] (Inventory management system) First, the inventory management system according to this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an inventory management system 1 according to this embodiment.

[0014] As shown in FIG. 1, an inventory management system 1 according to this embodiment is used for inventory management in a store 2, such as a restaurant. Specifically, the inventory management system 1 is a system that manages the inventory of items W stored in a refrigerator 3 that serves as a storage area (specifically, a storehouse) of the store 2. Here, the items W may be items sold directly by the store 2, food and drink provided by the store 2, or ingredients for preparing food and drink. In this embodiment, the storage area is composed of the refrigerator 3, but is not limited to this and may be composed of, for example, a warehouse without a temperature control function.

[0015] The store 2 includes a walk-in refrigerator 3 provided at the rear of the store 2, a kitchen 4 provided outside the refrigerator 3 adjacent to the refrigerator 3, and a workbench 5 provided outside the refrigerator 3 at a distance from the refrigerator 3.

[0016] The refrigerator 3 has a first gate 31 as a predetermined location formed on the front wall of the refrigerator 3, and a second gate 32 as a predetermined location formed on the side wall of the refrigerator 3.

[0017] The first gate 31 and the second gate 32 are gates through which employees or carts can pass, and are used for carrying in and out goods W. A first walk-in door 311 that opens and closes the first gate 31 is hingedly connected to the first gate 31. A second walk-in door 321 that opens and closes the second gate 32 is hingedly connected to the second gate 32.

[0018] In this embodiment, the predetermined locations (i.e., first gate 31 and second gate 32) are formed on the walls of refrigerator 3 (specifically, the front wall and side wall of refrigerator 3). However, the predetermined locations are not limited to this, and may be formed, for example, by being surrounded by a vinyl curtain or the like serving as a partition material for separating the inside and outside of the warehouse, or may be formed by being surrounded by a combination of the wall and the vinyl curtain.

[0019] In other words, the predetermined location needs only to be located at the boundary between the inside and outside of the storage area and be passable. Note that the boundary between the inside and outside of the storage area does not necessarily need to have a wall or vinyl curtain separating the two.

[0020] A cooking pot 41 serving as cooking equipment is provided adjacent to the kitchen 4.

[0021] A trash can 51 serving as a packaging material collection area is provided below the workbench 5. The trash can 51 collects packaging materials of used items W. An RFID tag 6 (see FIG. 2) is attached to the outer surface of the packaging material of the items W.

[0022] The inventory management system 1 includes an RFID tag 6 as a communication tag attached to the item W (specifically, to the outer surface of the packaging material of the item W), and an inventory management device 7. The RFID tag 6 and the inventory management device 7 will be described in detail later.

[0023] (RFID tag) Next, the configuration of the RFID tag 6 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the RFID tag 6. As shown in FIG.

[0024] 2, the RFID tag 6 includes an IC chip 61 as a storage unit and an antenna 62 as a communication unit. The RFID tag 6 is preferably a passive tag.

[0025] Information about the item W is written into the IC chip 61. Here, the information about the item W includes, for example, the type of item W, production date, expiration date, weight, order number, etc., but is not limited to these. The antenna 62 is connected to the IC chip 61 and communicates with each of the antennas 71, 72, and 73, which will be described later.

[0026] (Inventory management device) Next, the configuration of the inventory management device 7 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0027] Fig. 3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the controller 74 and components connected to the controller 74. Fig. 4 is a diagram showing an example of how the inventory management status is displayed on the display unit 75.

[0028] 1 and 4, the inventory management device 7 includes a first antenna 71, a second antenna 72, a third antenna 73, a controller 74, and a display unit 75. The first antenna 71, the second antenna 72, and the third antenna 73 are configured from similar antennas, and each communicates with the antenna 62 of the RFID tag 6 at predetermined time intervals (for example, on the order of several milliseconds). The controller 74 is connected to the first antenna 71, the second antenna 72, the third antenna 73, and the display unit 75.

[0029] As shown in FIG. 1, the first antenna 71 is provided inside the refrigerator 3. Specifically, the first antenna 71 is provided on the ceiling or side wall of the refrigerator 3. From the viewpoint of improving communication performance, it is preferable to provide the first antenna 71 on the ceiling of the refrigerator 3. The number of first antennas 71 corresponds to the number of gates 31, 32. The first antennas 71 are provided inside the refrigerator 3 so as to be located near the first gate 31 and the second gate 32, respectively. Each first antenna 71 has a first communication area C1.

[0030] As shown in FIG. 1, the second antennas 72 are provided outside the refrigerator 3. Specifically, the second antennas 72 are provided on the ceiling outside the refrigerator 3. The number of second antennas 72 corresponds to the number of gates 31 and 32. The second antennas 72 are provided outside the refrigerator 3 so as to be located near the first gate 31 and the second gate 32, respectively. Each second antenna 72 has a second communication area C2.

[0031] That is, the first antenna 71 and the second antenna 72 are provided inside and outside the refrigerator 3 so as to form a pair with the first gate 31 or the second gate 32 sandwiched therebetween. In this case, the portion where the first communication area C1 of the first antenna 71 and the second communication area C2 of the second antenna 72 overlap becomes an overlapping communication area CC. The overlapping communication area CC is formed across the inside and outside of the refrigerator 3 so as to cover the first gate 31 or the second gate 32.

[0032] In this embodiment, the first antenna 71 and the second antenna 72 are arranged so that the distance between them and the corresponding first gate 31 or second gate 32 is the same, but this is not limited to this and, for example, they may be arranged so that the distances are different.

[0033] 1, one first antenna 71 and the other first antenna 71 are arranged so as not to interfere with each other within the first communication area C1 of the first antenna 71, and one second antenna 72 and the other second antenna 72 are arranged so as not to interfere with each other within the second communication area C2 of the second antenna 72. This makes it possible to suppress erroneous determination of the in- and out-feeding of the item W due to noise.

[0034] 1, the first communication area C1 of one first antenna 71 does not overlap with the second communication area C2 of the other second antenna 72. The first communication area C1 of the other first antenna 71 does not overlap with the second communication area C2 of one second antenna 72.

[0035] The third antenna 73 is provided on the back surface of the workbench 5 (i.e., near the trash can 51) so as to face the trash can 51. The third antenna 73 has a third communication area C3. The third communication area C3 of the third antenna 73 does not overlap with the first communication area C1 of the first antenna 71 and the second communication area C2 of the second antenna 72.

[0036] The controller 74 is composed of a microcomputer equipped with a central processing unit (CPU), a read-only memory (ROM), a random access memory (RAM), and an input / output interface (I / O interface) 741 (see FIG. 3). The controller 74 can also be composed of multiple microcomputers.

[0037] The controller 74 receives radio waves (specifically, the first radio wave P1, the second radio wave P2, and the third radio wave / see Figures 6 and 7) from the RFID tag 6 via each antenna 71, 72, and 73, respectively, and performs inventory management of the item W based on the strength of the received radio waves (specifically, the first radio wave P1, the second radio wave P2, and the third radio wave).

[0038] Specifically, the controller 74 receives the first radio wave P1 from the RFID tag 6 and the second radio wave P2 from the RFID tag 6 via the first antenna 71 and the second antenna 72, respectively, and determines whether the item W is being transported in or out based on the time-series changes in the magnitude relationship between the strength of the first radio wave P1 and the strength of the second radio wave P2.

[0039] The controller 74 also receives the third radio wave from the RFID tag 6 via the third antenna 73, and determines that the packaging material of the item W has been collected in the trash can 51 if the strength of the third radio wave among the first radio wave P1, the second radio wave P2, and the third radio wave received within a predetermined time is greater than the strength of the first radio wave P1 and the strength of the second radio wave P2.

[0040] 3, the controller 74 has an input / output interface 741 as a reader, which are electrically connected to one another, a storage unit 742, a determination data selection unit 743, a time period identification unit 744, a calculation unit 745, a determination unit 746, and an inventory management unit 747. In this embodiment, the determination data selection unit 743, the time period identification unit 744, the calculation unit 745, the determination unit 746, and the inventory management unit 747 are configured from software for realizing each function of the controller 74, but are not limited to this and may be configured from hardware, for example.

[0041] The input / output interface 741 receives the radio waves from the RFID tag 6 (specifically, the first radio wave P1, the second radio wave P2, and the third radio wave) via the antennas 71, 72, and 73, respectively.

[0042] The storage unit 742 is a memory for storing each received radio wave. The storage unit 742 also stores processing programs and algorithm programs executed by the determination data selection unit 743, the time period identification unit 744, the calculation unit 745, the determination unit 746, and the inventory management unit 747. The storage unit 742 also stores the inventory quantity of each type of item W, the number of items W carried out of each type of item W, the number of items W carried in of each type of item W, the number of items W used of each type of item W, and a predetermined time period, which will be described later. In this embodiment, the storage unit 742 is built into the controller 74, but is not limited to this and may be provided separately from the controller 74, for example.

[0043] Here, the inventory quantity of each type of item W is the inventory quantity of each type of item W stored in the refrigerator 3. The number of items W taken out of each type is the number of items W of each type taken out from inside the refrigerator 3 to outside the refrigerator 3. The number of items W brought in of each type is the number of items W of each type brought into the refrigerator 3 from outside the refrigerator 3. The number of items W used of each type is the number of items W of each type used in the store 2.

[0044] The determination data selection unit 743, the time period specification unit 744, the calculation unit 745, the determination unit 746, and the inventory management unit 747 will be described in detail later in the inventory management process.

[0045] 4, the display unit 75 displays the inventory management status of each type of item W executed by the controller 74. An employee as a user can easily place an order for each type of item W based on the inventory management status of each type of item W displayed on the display unit 75. Here, the inventory management status includes items such as the number of items W in stock, the number of items W delivered, the number of items W delivered, and the number of items W used.

[0046] (Inventory management process) Next, the inventory management process for item W will be described in detail with reference to Figures 4 to 7. In this embodiment, the process of carrying in and out of item W via the first gate 31 is described as an example, but the process of carrying in and out of item W via the second gate 32 is similar to the process of carrying in and out of item W via the first gate 31, so a description thereof will be omitted. Also, in this embodiment, the process of carrying in and out of a single item W is described as an example, but the process of carrying in and out simultaneously of multiple items W of the same type and the process of carrying in and out simultaneously of items W of different types are similar to the process of carrying in and out of a single item W, so a description thereof will be omitted.

[0047] Fig. 5 is a flowchart showing the inventory management process according to this embodiment. Fig. 6 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a mechanism for determining whether an item W has been carried from inside the refrigerator 3 to outside the refrigerator 3. Fig. 7 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a mechanism for determining whether an item W has been carried from outside the refrigerator 3 to inside the refrigerator 3.

[0048] When the inventory management device 7 is turned on, the inventory management process starts.

[0049] 5, first, in step S101, the input / output interface 741 receives the first radio wave P1 and the second radio wave P2 from the RFID tag 6 via the first antenna 71 and the second antenna 72, respectively, within a predetermined time (i.e., a predetermined cycle) stored in the storage unit 742. Then, the input / output interface 741 outputs the first radio wave P1 and the second radio wave P2 from the RFID tag 6 received within the predetermined time to the storage unit 742, the determination data selection unit 743, and the determination unit 746, and proceeds to step S102. Note that the predetermined time is, for example, from several seconds to a dozen seconds, and may be variably set according to actual needs.

[0050] Next, in step S102, the determination unit 746 determines, based on the first radio wave P1 and the second radio wave P2 output from the input / output interface 741, whether or not there is a reception time during which both the first radio wave P1 and the second radio wave P2 are received.

[0051] If the determination unit 746 determines that there is a reception time when both the first radio wave P1 and the second radio wave P2 are received (if Yes), it outputs a reception time existence result to the determination data selection unit 743 and proceeds to step S103. On the other hand, if the determination unit 746 determines that there is no reception time when both the first radio wave P1 and the second radio wave P2 are received (if No), it returns to step S101.

[0052] Next, in step S103, the determination data selection unit 743 selects determination data for determining the carry-in or carry-out of the item W. Then, the determination data selection unit 743 outputs the selected determination data to the time period identification unit 744 and the calculation unit 745, and proceeds to step S104.

[0053] Here, the determination data will be described in detail with reference to FIGS.

[0054] The determination data is data (see Figures 6 and 7) regarding the time series changes in the strength of the first radio wave P1 and the strength of the second radio wave P2 in the overlapping communication area CC at the reception time when both the first radio wave P1 and the second radio wave P2 are received (i.e., before and after the item W passes through the first gate 31).

[0055] In the determination data shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the horizontal axis represents distance, the vertical axis represents radio wave strength, and the direction indicated by the arrow represents the time progression direction. The first gate 31 is located near the center of the horizontal axis. The area to the left of the first gate 31 is the interior of the refrigerator 3, while the area to the right of the first gate 31 is the exterior of the refrigerator 3. The first antenna 71 and the second antenna 72 are located on the left and right sides of the first gate 31, respectively, with the first gate 31 in between. In this embodiment, the overlapping communication area CC is located between the first antenna 71 and the second antenna 72 so as to include the first gate 31.

[0056] The interval between adjacent first radio waves P1 or second radio waves P2 is a predetermined time interval. In the determination data, first deviating radio waves p1 or second deviating radio waves p2 that significantly deviate from the first virtual curve L1 or second virtual curve L2 formed by the multiple first radio waves P1 or multiple second radio waves are noise caused by reflection, etc. In addition, in the determination data, a blank area B is formed near the first gate 31 where the first radio wave P1 or second radio wave P2 is not received due to reflection, etc.

[0057] 6, the first time region T1 located on the left side of the blank area B is the first half of the reception time when both the first radio wave P1 and the second radio wave P2 are received, and the second time region T2 located on the right side of the blank area B is the second half of the reception time when both the first radio wave P1 and the second radio wave P2 are received. On the other hand, in FIG. 7, the first time region T1 located on the right side of the blank area B is the first half of the reception time when both the first radio wave P1 and the second radio wave P2 are received, and the second time region T2 located on the left side of the blank area B is the second half of the reception time when both the first radio wave P1 and the second radio wave P2 are received.

[0058] During the reception time when both the first radio wave P1 and the second radio wave P2 are received, the article W is located in the overlapping communication area CC (i.e., the area before and after passing through the first gate 31). As the article W approaches the first antenna 71, the strength of the first radio wave P1 increases, and as the article W moves away from the first antenna 71, the strength of the first radio wave P1 decreases. Similarly, as the article W approaches the second antenna 72, the strength of the second radio wave P2 increases, and as the article W moves away from the second antenna 72, the strength of the second radio wave P2 decreases. As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, a first virtual curve L1 formed by the multiple first radio waves P1 and a second virtual curve L2 formed by the multiple second radio waves P2 form a substantially X-shape.

[0059] Next, in step S104, the time period identification unit 744 identifies a first time period t1 in the first time region T1 as the first half of the reception time, and a second time period t2 in the second time region T2 as the second half of the reception time (see FIGS. 6 and 7).The time period identification unit 744 then outputs the identified first time period t1 and second time period t2 to the calculation unit 745, and proceeds to step S105.

[0060] Specifically, in step S104, the time period identification unit 744 identifies a portion of the first time region T1 as the first time period t1 and a portion of the second time region T2 as the second time period t2. In this case, from the viewpoint of reducing the influence of noise (first deviation radio waves p1 and second deviation radio waves p2), it is preferable to set the duration of the first time period t1 and the duration of the second time period t2 to 50% of the duration of the first time region T1 and 50% of the duration of the second time region T2, respectively. Furthermore, from the viewpoint of improving the accuracy of determining whether the item W is being carried in or out, it is preferable to identify the first time period t1 and the second time period t2 so that they are spaced apart from each other (i.e., spaced apart from the first gate 31).

[0061] In this embodiment, in step S104, the time zone determination unit 744 determines a portion of the first time region T1 as the first time zone t1 and a portion of the second time region T2 as the second time zone t2, but this is not limited to this, and for example, the entire first time region T1 may be determined as the first time zone t1 and the entire second time region T2 as the second time zone t2.

[0062] Next, in step S105, the calculation unit 745 calculates a first radio wave intensity average value which is the average value of the intensities of the plurality of first radio waves P1 in the first time period t1, a second radio wave intensity average value which is the average value of the intensities of the plurality of second radio waves P2 in the first time period t1, a third radio wave intensity average value which is the average value of the intensities of the plurality of first radio waves P1 in the second time period t2, and a fourth radio wave intensity average value which is the average value of the intensities of the plurality of second radio waves P2 in the second time period t2, based on the determination data output from the determination data selection unit 743 and the first time period t1 and the second time period t2 output from the time period identification unit 744 (see FIGS. 6 and 7). Then, the calculation unit 745 outputs the calculated first radio wave intensity average value, second radio wave intensity average value, third radio wave intensity average value, and fourth radio wave intensity average value to the determination unit 746, and proceeds to step S106.

[0063] Next, in step S106, the determination unit 746 determines whether the item W is being carried in or out based on the first radio wave intensity average value, the second radio wave intensity average value, the third radio wave intensity average value, and the fourth radio wave intensity average value output from the calculation unit 745. This makes it possible to reduce the influence of noise (the first deviating radio wave p1 and the second deviating radio wave p2) caused by reflections and the like, since the determination unit 746 determines whether the item W is being carried in or out based on the first radio wave intensity average value, the second radio wave intensity average value, and the third radio wave intensity average value output from the calculation unit 745. As a result, it is possible to improve the accuracy of determining whether the item W is being carried in or out.

[0064] Specifically, in step S106, the determining unit 746 determines whether the first average radio wave intensity value is greater than the second average radio wave intensity value and whether the fourth average radio wave intensity value is greater than the third average radio wave intensity value.

[0065] If the determination unit 746 determines that the first radio wave intensity average value is greater than the second radio wave intensity average value and that the fourth radio wave intensity average value is greater than the third radio wave intensity average value (if Yes), it outputs a determination result that the item W has been removed from inside the refrigerator 3 to outside the refrigerator 3 (hereinafter simply referred to as the removal determination result) to the inventory management unit 747, and proceeds to step S107.

[0066] Here, a mechanism for determining whether the item W has been removed from inside the refrigerator 3 to outside the refrigerator 3 will be described with reference to FIG.

[0067] As shown in FIG. 6, in the process of an item W being transported from inside the refrigerator 3 to outside the refrigerator 3, the item W is closer to the first antenna 71 than to the second antenna 72 during the first time period t1 in the first half of the reception time, and therefore the first radio wave intensity average value during the first time period t1 (i.e., the average value of the first radio wave P1 received via the first antenna 71) is greater than the second radio wave intensity average value during the first time period t1 (i.e., the average value of the second radio wave P2 received via the second antenna 72).

[0068] On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 6, in the process of item W being transported from inside refrigerator 3 to outside refrigerator 3, item W is closer to second antenna 72 than to first antenna 71 during second time period t2 in the latter half of the reception time, and therefore the fourth radio wave intensity average value during second time period t2 (i.e., the average value of second radio wave P2 received via second antenna 72) is greater than the third radio wave intensity average value during second time period t2 (i.e., the average value of first radio wave P1 received via first antenna 71).

[0069] As a result, the judgment unit 746 judges that the item W has been removed from inside the refrigerator 3 to outside the refrigerator 3 when the first radio wave intensity average value is greater than the second radio wave intensity average value and the fourth radio wave intensity average value is greater than the third radio wave intensity average value.

[0070] On the other hand, if the judgment unit 746 determines that the second radio wave intensity average value is greater than the first radio wave intensity average value and that the third radio wave intensity average value is greater than the fourth radio wave intensity average value (if No), it outputs a judgment result that the item W has been carried into the refrigerator 3 from outside the refrigerator 3 (hereinafter simply referred to as the carrying-in judgment result) to the inventory management unit 747, and proceeds to step S108.

[0071] Here, a mechanism for determining whether an item W has been carried into the refrigerator 3 from outside the refrigerator 3 will be described with reference to FIG.

[0072] As shown in FIG. 7, in the process of transporting item W from outside refrigerator 3 into refrigerator 3, item W is closer to second antenna 72 than to first antenna 71 during first time period t1 in the first half of the reception time, and therefore the second radio wave intensity average value during first time period t1 (i.e., the average value of second radio wave P2 received via second antenna 72) is greater than the first radio wave intensity average value during first time period t1 (i.e., the average value of first radio wave P1 received via first antenna 71).

[0073] On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 7, in the process of carrying item W from outside refrigerator 3 into refrigerator 3, item W is closer to first antenna 71 than to second antenna 72 during second time period t2 in the latter half of the reception time, and therefore the third radio wave intensity average value during second time period t2 (i.e., the average value of first radio wave P1 received via first antenna 71) is greater than the fourth radio wave intensity average value during second time period t2 (i.e., the average value of second radio wave P2 received via second antenna 72).

[0074] As a result, the judgment unit 746 judges that the item W has been brought into the refrigerator 3 from outside the refrigerator 3 if the second radio wave intensity average value is greater than the first radio wave intensity average value and the third radio wave intensity average value is greater than the fourth radio wave intensity average value.

[0075] In this way, in step S106, the judgment unit 746 can easily determine whether item W is being transported in or out based on the magnitude relationship between the first radio wave intensity average value and the second radio wave intensity average value, and the magnitude relationship between the third radio wave intensity average value and the fourth radio wave intensity average value.

[0076] Next, in step S108, the inventory management unit 747 updates the inventory quantity of item W and the delivered quantity of item W stored in the memory unit 742 by "+1" based on the delivery determination result output from the determination unit 746. Then, the inventory management unit 747 outputs the updated inventory quantity of item W and the delivered quantity of item W to the memory unit 742 and the display unit 75, and proceeds to step S110.

[0077] Next, in step S110, the display unit 75 displays the updated inventory management status based on the updated inventory quantity of item W and the updated number of items W delivered output from the inventory management unit 747 via the input / output interface 741 (see Figure 4), and returns to step S101.

[0078] Meanwhile, in step S107, the inventory management unit 747 updates the inventory quantity of item W and the shipment quantity of item W stored in the memory unit 742 by "-1" and "+1," respectively, based on the shipment determination result output from the determination unit 746. Then, the inventory management unit 747 outputs the updated inventory quantity of item W and the shipment quantity of item W to the memory unit 742 and the display unit 75, and proceeds to step S109.

[0079] Next, in step S109, the display unit 75 displays the updated inventory management status based on the updated inventory quantity of item W and the updated number of items W shipped out output from the inventory management unit 747 via the input / output interface 741 (see Figure 4), and proceeds to step S111.

[0080] Next, in step S111, the input / output interface 741 receives the first radio wave P1, the second radio wave P2, and the third radio wave from the RFID tag 6 via the first antenna 71, the second antenna 72, and the third antenna 73, respectively, within the next predetermined time (i.e., a predetermined cycle) in the storage unit 742. Then, the input / output interface 741 outputs the first radio wave P1, the second radio wave P2, and the third radio wave from the RFID tag 6 received within the next predetermined time to the storage unit 742 and the calculation unit 745, and the process proceeds to step S112.

[0081] Next, in step S112, the calculation unit 745 calculates a fifth radio wave intensity average value as the intensity of the first radio wave corresponding to the first radio wave P1, a sixth radio wave intensity average value as the intensity of the second radio wave corresponding to the second radio wave P2, and a seventh radio wave intensity average value as the intensity of the third radio wave corresponding to the third radio wave, based on the first radio wave P1, the second radio wave P2, and the third radio wave output from the input / output interface 741. Then, the calculation unit 745 outputs the calculated fifth radio wave intensity average value, sixth radio wave intensity average value, and seventh radio wave intensity average value to the determination unit 746, and proceeds to step S113.

[0082] Next, in step S113, the determination unit 746 determines whether the item W has been used in the store 2 and the packaging material of the item W has been collected in the trash can 51, based on the fifth radio wave intensity average value, sixth radio wave intensity average value, and seventh radio wave intensity average value output from the calculation unit 745. In this way, a plurality of radio wave intensity average values ​​are used to determine whether the item W has been used in the store 2 and the packaging material of the item W has been collected in the trash can 51, thereby reducing the influence of noise due to reflections and the like. As a result, the accuracy of the determination can be improved compared to determination using a plurality of radio wave intensity peak values.

[0083] Specifically, in step S113, the judgment unit 746 judges whether the seventh radio wave intensity average value is greater than the fifth radio wave intensity average value and the sixth radio wave intensity average value based on the fifth radio wave intensity average value, the sixth radio wave intensity average value and the seventh radio wave intensity average value output from the calculation unit 745.

[0084] If the determination unit 746 determines that the seventh radio wave intensity average value is greater than the fifth radio wave intensity average value and the sixth radio wave intensity average value (if Yes), it outputs a determination result (hereinafter simply referred to as "usage determination result") that the item W has been used in the store 2 and the packaging material of the item W to which the RFID tag 6 is attached has been collected in the trash can 51 to the inventory management unit 747, and proceeds to step S114. This makes it easy to determine that the packaging material of the item W has been collected in the trash can 51, and therefore it is possible to recognize that the item W has been used in the store 2.

[0085] On the other hand, if the judgment unit 746 determines that the seventh radio wave intensity average value is lower than the fifth radio wave intensity average value and the sixth radio wave intensity average value (No), it outputs a judgment result (hereinafter simply referred to as an unused judgment result) to the inventory management unit 747 that the item W has not been used within the store 2 and the packaging material of the item W has not been collected in the trash can 51, and proceeds to step S115.

[0086] On the other hand, in step S115, the inventory management unit 747 does not change the number of used items W based on the unused determination result output from the determination unit 746, and returns to step S111.

[0087] Next, in step S114, the inventory management unit 747 updates the number of uses of the item W by "+1" based on the usage determination result output from the determination unit 746. Then, the inventory management unit 747 outputs the updated number of uses of the item W to the storage unit 742 and the display unit 75, and proceeds to step S116.

[0088] Next, in step S116, the display unit 75 displays the updated inventory management status based on the updated number of items W used output from the inventory management unit 747 (see FIG. 4), and the process returns to step S101. This makes it possible to determine whether the taken-out items W have been used in the store 2 by comparing the number of items W taken out with the number of items W used on the display unit 75.

[0089] Furthermore, if the item W is an ingredient for making food, the number of sales of the food made from the item W can be obtained from the POS device, and the number of sales of the food obtained from the POS device can be linked to the number of uses of the item W displayed on the display unit 75, making it easier to manage inventory of the item W and to order the item W.

[0090] (Action and effect) Next, the main effects of this embodiment will be described.

[0091] The inventory management device 7 of this embodiment is provided inside and outside a refrigerator 3 having a first gate 31 and a second gate 32, respectively, and is equipped with a first antenna 71 and a second antenna 72 for communicating with an RFID tag 6 attached to an item W, and a controller 74 that communicates with the RFID tag 6 attached to an item W passing through the first gate 31 or the second gate 32 using the first antenna 71 and the second antenna 72, thereby receiving a first radio wave from the RFID tag 6 and a second radio wave from the communication tag via the first antenna 71 and the second antenna 72, respectively, and determining whether an item W is being carried in or out based on time-series changes in the magnitude relationship between the intensity of the first radio wave P1 and the intensity of the second radio wave P2.

[0092] The inventory management method according to this embodiment is an inventory management method for managing inventory of an item W using a first antenna 71 and a second antenna 72, which are provided inside and outside a refrigerator 3 having a first gate 31 and a second gate 32, respectively, for communicating with an RFID tag 6 attached to the item W. The method includes a receiving step of receiving a first radio wave P1 from the RFID tag 6 and a second radio wave P2 from the RFID tag 6 via the first antenna 71 and the second antenna 72, respectively, by communicating with the RFID tag 6 attached to the item W passing through the first gate 31 or the second gate 32 using the first antenna 71 and the second antenna 72, and a determining step of determining whether the item W is being carried in or out based on a time-series change in the magnitude relationship between the intensity of the first radio wave P1 and the intensity of the second radio wave P2.

[0093] The inventory management system 1 of this embodiment includes an RFID tag 6 attached to an item W, a first antenna 71 and a second antenna 72 that are provided inside and outside a refrigerator 3 having a first gate 31 and a second gate 32, respectively, for communicating with the RFID tag 6 attached to the item W, and a controller 74 that communicates with the RFID tag 6 attached to an item W passing through the first gate 31 or the second gate 32 using the first antenna 71 and the second antenna 72, thereby receiving a first radio wave from the RFID tag 6 and a second radio wave from the RFID tag 6 via the first antenna 71 and the second antenna 72, respectively, and determining whether to carry in or out an item W based on time-series changes in the magnitude relationship between the intensity of the first radio wave P1 and the intensity of the second radio wave P2.

[0094] According to these configurations, the carry-in / out of an item W is determined based on a time-series change in the magnitude relationship between the intensity of the first radio wave P1 and the intensity of the second radio wave P2 from the RFID tag 6 attached to the item W passing through the first gate 31 or the second gate 32, which are received by the first antenna 71 and the second antenna 72 provided inside the refrigerator 3 and outside the refrigerator on either side of the first gate 31 or the second gate 32, and the result of the determination is used to calculate the inventory quantity of the item W. Therefore, the communication area with the RFID tag 6 can be narrowed, and the inventory quantity of the item W can be calculated by simply determining the carry-in / out of the small number of items W passing through the first gate 31 or the second gate 32, rather than the large number of items W stored in the refrigerator 3.

[0095] As a result, the number of items W stored in the refrigerator 3 can be grasped more accurately than when an antenna installed inside the refrigerator 3 is used to detect a large number of items W stored in the refrigerator 3 in a stationary state and the number of items W in stock is calculated using the detection results.

[0096] In particular, when a large number of items W containing moisture stored in the refrigerator 3 are detected in a stationary state using an antenna installed inside the refrigerator 3, the detection accuracy is further reduced, but the impact of the moisture contained in the items W on determining the in- and out-loading of a small number of items W passing through the first gate 31 or the second gate 32 is limited.

[0097] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the carry-in / out of an item W is determined based on time-series changes in the magnitude relationship between the intensity of the first radio wave P1 and the intensity of the second radio wave P2 from the RFID tag 6 attached to the item W passing through the first gate 31 or the second gate 32. Therefore, compared to determining the moving direction of the RFID tag 6 based on the number of times it is read, signals such as noise caused by reflected radio waves are not counted, and the system is less susceptible to the influence of noise, improving the accuracy of determining the carry-in / out of an item W. As a result, the inventory number of items W stored in the refrigerator 3 can be accurately determined.

[0098] In addition, in this embodiment, the controller 74 calculates a first radio wave intensity average value which is the average value of the intensity of the first radio wave P1 in the first time period t1 in the first half of the reception time when both the first radio wave P1 and the second radio wave P2 are received, a second radio wave intensity average value which is the average value of the intensity of the second radio wave P2 in the first time period t1, a third radio wave intensity average value which is the average value of the intensity of the first radio wave P1 in the second time period t2 in the second half of the reception time, and a fourth radio wave intensity average value which is the average value of the intensity of the second radio wave P2 in the second time period t2, and determines whether to move in or move out the item W based on the first radio wave intensity average value, the second radio wave intensity average value, the third radio wave intensity average value and the fourth radio wave intensity average value.

[0099] According to this configuration, since a plurality of radio wave intensity average values ​​are used to determine whether the item W is being carried in or out, it is possible to reduce the influence of noise (the first deviating radio wave p1 and the second deviating radio wave p2) caused by reflection, etc. As a result, it is possible to improve the accuracy of determining whether the item W is being carried in or out.

[0100] In addition, in this embodiment, the controller 74 determines whether to take in or out the item W based on the magnitude relationship between the first radio wave intensity average value and the second radio wave intensity average value, and the magnitude relationship between the third radio wave intensity average value and the fourth radio wave intensity average value.

[0101] In addition, in this embodiment, the controller 74 determines that the action of an item W passing through the first gate 31 or the second gate 32 is the removal of the item W when the first radio wave intensity average value is greater than the second radio wave intensity average value and the fourth radio wave intensity average value is greater than the third radio wave intensity average value, and determines that the action of an item W passing through the first gate 31 or the second gate 32 is the removal of the item W when the second radio wave intensity average value is greater than the first radio wave intensity average value and the third radio wave intensity average value is greater than the fourth radio wave intensity average value.

[0102] According to these configurations, the carry-in and carry-out of the goods W can be easily determined, and therefore the inventory number of the goods W stored in the refrigerator 3 can be accurately grasped.

[0103] In this embodiment, the refrigerator 3 further includes a third antenna 73 that is provided near the trash can 51 located outside the refrigerator 3 and that communicates with the RFID tag 6 attached to the item W. The controller 74 communicates with the RFID tag 6 via the third antenna 73, and receives a third radio wave from the RFID tag 6 via the third antenna 73. If a seventh radio wave intensity average value, which is the intensity of the third radio wave among the first radio wave P1, the second radio wave P2 and the third radio wave received within a predetermined time, is greater than a fifth radio wave intensity average value, which is the intensity of the first radio wave P1, and a sixth radio wave intensity average value, which is the intensity of the second radio wave P2, the controller 74 determines that the packaging material of the item W to which the RFID tag 6 is attached has been collected in the trash can 51.

[0104] According to this configuration, it is possible to easily determine whether the packaging material of the item W has been collected in the trash can 51, and therefore it is possible to recognize that the item W has been used in the store 2. Furthermore, by comparing the number of items W taken out with the number of items W used, it is possible to determine whether the taken-out item W has been used in the store 2. Furthermore, after the item W has been used in the store 2, the packaging material of the item W, which contains almost no moisture, is collected in the trash can 51, and therefore the effect of moisture on the accuracy of the determination can be suppressed.

[0105] (Variation) Next, a stock management device 7 according to a modified example will be described with reference to FIG.

[0106] FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram showing an inventory management device 7 according to a modified example.

[0107] In the above-described embodiment, the inventory management device 7 is configured with two first antennas 71 corresponding to two second antennas 72, but is not limited to this and may be configured with a single first antenna 71A, for example, as shown in FIG. 8.

[0108] In this case, as shown in Fig. 8, the single first antenna 71A has a first communication area C11 that is larger than that of the first antenna 71 of the above-described embodiment. The overlapping portion between the first communication area C1A of the first antenna 71 and the second communication area C2 of the second antenna 72 is an overlapping communication area CCA. The overlapping communication area CCA is formed across the interior and exterior of the refrigerator 3 so as to cover the first gate 31 or the second gate 32.

[0109] In this modification, by using a single first antenna 71A, the number of parts constituting the inventory management device 7 can be reduced, thereby simplifying the entire device and reducing costs.

[0110] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the controller 74 determines whether to carry in or take out the item W based on the magnitude relationship between the first radio wave intensity average value and the second radio wave intensity average value, and the magnitude relationship between the third radio wave intensity average value and the fourth radio wave intensity average value, but this is not limited to this, and for example, the controller 74 may determine whether to carry in or take out the item W by analyzing the first radio wave P1 and the second radio wave P2 using machine learning (specifically, deep learning).

[0111] (Second embodiment) Next, the inventory management process according to the second embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 9. Note that in the second embodiment, the same points as in the above-described embodiment will be omitted, and differences from the above-described embodiment will be mainly described.

[0112] FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing the inventory management process according to the second embodiment.

[0113] In the above-described embodiment, the inventory management process includes steps S01 to S116, whereas in the second embodiment, the inventory management process includes steps S01A to S116A. Steps S101A to S104A and steps S107A to S116A in the second embodiment are similar to steps S101 to S104 and steps S107 to S116 in the above-described embodiment, respectively, and therefore will not be described again.

[0114] On the other hand, steps S105A and S106A in the second embodiment are different from steps S105 and S106 in the above-described embodiment, and therefore will be described below.

[0115] 9, in step S105A, the calculation unit 745 calculates a first radio wave intensity average value which is the average value of the intensities of the plurality of first radio waves P1 in the first time period t1, a second radio wave intensity average value which is the average value of the intensities of the plurality of second radio waves P2 in the first time period t1, a third radio wave intensity average value which is the average value of the intensities of the plurality of first radio waves P1 in the second time period t2, and a fourth radio wave intensity average value which is the average value of the intensities of the plurality of second radio waves P2 in the second time period t2, based on the determination data output from the determination data selection unit 743 and the first time period t1 and the second time period t2 output from the time period identification unit 744 (see FIGS. 6 and 7). Then, the calculation unit 745 outputs the first radio wave intensity average value ratio which is the ratio between the calculated first radio wave intensity average value and the second radio wave intensity average value, and the second radio wave intensity average value ratio which is the ratio between the calculated third radio wave intensity average value and the fourth radio wave intensity average value, to the determination unit 746, and proceeds to step S106A.

[0116] Next, in step S106A, the determining unit 746 determines whether the item W is being carried in or out based on the magnitude relationship between the first radio wave intensity average value ratio and the second radio wave intensity average value ratio output from the calculating unit.

[0117] Then, in step S106A, if the first radio wave intensity average value ratio is greater than the second radio wave intensity average value ratio (if Yes), the judgment unit 746 outputs a judgment result (hereinafter simply referred to as the removal judgment result) that the item W has been removed from inside the refrigerator 3 to outside the refrigerator 3 to the inventory management unit 747, and proceeds to step S107A.

[0118] On the other hand, in step S106A, if the second radio wave intensity average value ratio is greater than the first radio wave intensity average value ratio (No), the judgment unit 746 outputs a judgment result that the item W has been carried into the refrigerator 3 from outside the refrigerator 3 (hereinafter simply referred to as the carry-in judgment result) to the inventory management unit 747, and proceeds to step S108A.

[0119] The present embodiment and each of the modified examples have been described above, but the above-described embodiment and each of the modified examples merely illustrate application examples of the present invention, and are not intended to limit the technical scope of the present invention to the specific configurations of the above-described embodiment. [Explanation of symbols]

[0120] 1. Inventory management system 3 Refrigerator (storage area) 6. Communication tags (RFID tags) 7. Inventory Management Device 31 Gate 1 (designated location) 32 Gate 2 (designated location) 51 Garbage bin (packaging collection area) 71 First Antenna 72 Second Antenna 73 Third Antenna 74 Controller W Goods P1 First radio wave P2 2nd radio wave t1 1st time slot t2 Second time zone

Claims

1. a first antenna and a second antenna provided inside and outside the storage area, respectively, for communicating with a communication tag attached to an item; a controller that communicates with the communication tag attached to an item passing through a predetermined point located on the boundary between the inside and outside of the storage area using the first antenna and the second antenna, receives a first radio wave from the communication tag and a second radio wave from the communication tag via the first antenna and the second antenna, respectively, and determines whether the item is being carried in or out based on a time-series change in the magnitude relationship between the intensity of the first radio wave and the intensity of the second radio wave, the first antenna and the second antenna are each disposed apart from the predetermined location, the predetermined location is located in an overlapping communication area where the communication area of ​​the first antenna and the communication area of ​​the second antenna overlap. Inventory control device.

2. The controller a first radio wave intensity average value which is an average value of the intensity of the first radio wave in a first time period in the first half of a reception time when both the first radio wave and the second radio wave are received; a second radio wave intensity average value which is an average value of the intensity of the second radio wave in the first time period; a third radio wave intensity average value which is an average value of the intensity of the first radio wave in a second time period in the second half of the reception time; and a fourth radio wave intensity average value which is an average value of the intensity of the second radio wave in the second time period; determining whether an item is being carried in or out based on the first radio wave intensity average value, the second radio wave intensity average value, the third radio wave intensity average value, and the fourth radio wave intensity average value; The inventory management device according to claim 1 .

3. The controller determining whether an item is being carried in or out based on a magnitude relationship between the first radio wave intensity average value and the second radio wave intensity average value, and a magnitude relationship between the third radio wave intensity average value and the fourth radio wave intensity average value; The inventory management device according to claim 2 .

4. The controller determining that the action of the article passing through the predetermined location is a removal of the article when the first radio wave intensity average value is greater than the second radio wave intensity average value and the fourth radio wave intensity average value is greater than the third radio wave intensity average value; When the second radio wave intensity average value is greater than the first radio wave intensity average value and the third radio wave intensity average value is greater than the fourth radio wave intensity average value, the action of the item passing through the predetermined location is determined to be the carrying-in of the item. The inventory management device according to claim 3 .

5. a third antenna provided near a packaging material recovery site located outside the storage area for communicating with the communication tag attached to the item; The controller By communicating with the communication tag via the third antenna, a third radio wave from the communication tag is received via the third antenna, and if the strength of the third radio wave among the first radio wave, the second radio wave, and the third radio wave received within a predetermined time is greater than the strength of the first radio wave and the strength of the second radio wave, it is determined that the packaging material of the item to which the communication tag is attached has been collected at the packaging material collection site. The inventory management device according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

6. 1. An inventory management method for managing inventory of items using a first antenna and a second antenna that are provided inside and outside a storage area, respectively, for communicating with a communication tag attached to an item, the method comprising: a receiving step of receiving a first radio wave from the communication tag and a second radio wave from the communication tag via the first antenna and the second antenna, respectively, by communicating with the communication tag attached to an article passing through a predetermined point located on the boundary between the inside and outside of the storage area using the first antenna and the second antenna; a determination step of determining whether an article is being carried in or out based on a time-series change in the magnitude relationship between the intensity of the first radio wave and the intensity of the second radio wave, the first antenna and the second antenna are each disposed apart from the predetermined location, the predetermined location is located in an overlapping communication area where the communication area of ​​the first antenna and the communication area of ​​the second antenna overlap. Inventory management methods.

7. a communication tag attached to the item; a first antenna and a second antenna provided inside and outside the storage area, respectively, for communicating with the communication tag; a controller that communicates with the communication tag attached to an item passing through a predetermined point located on the boundary between the inside and outside of the storage area using the first antenna and the second antenna, receives a first radio wave from the communication tag and a second radio wave from the communication tag via the first antenna and the second antenna, respectively, and determines whether the item is being carried in or out based on a time-series change in the magnitude relationship between the intensity of the first radio wave and the intensity of the second radio wave, the first antenna and the second antenna are each disposed apart from the predetermined location, the predetermined location is located in an overlapping communication area where the communication area of ​​the first antenna and the communication area of ​​the second antenna overlap. Inventory management system.

Images