Sterilization management system, sterilization management method, and information processing device

Abstract

To provide a mechanism that can increase the efficiency of sterilization management for an object to be sterilized that is likely to move to an arbitrary place in a space where a user works.SOLUTION: A first wireless device is installed at a known position, and a second wireless device is attached to an object of sterilization processing. A reading device moving together with a movable body tries reading of identification information from the wireless device, and measures the amount of relative movement from a reference position by using a self-position estimation method. A position estimation unit of a sterilization management system estimates the position of the object based on the amount of relative movement of the reading device from the time point when first identification information is read from the first wireless device until the time point when second identification information is read from a second wireless device. Position information representing an estimated position of the object and sterilization related information are stored in a database, and the estimated position of the object selected based on the sterilization related information is notified to a user based on the position information.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 19

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a sterilization management system, a sterilization management method, and an information processing device. [Background technology]

[0002] Traditionally, medical institutions have performed sterilization processes to sterilize instruments used in patient treatment or care. Sterilization typically involves placing the objects in a sterilizer and exposing them to high-pressure steam or a sterilizing agent (e.g., hydrogen peroxide gas or ethylene gas) for a sufficient period of time, or irradiating the objects with ultraviolet light. In recent years, due to increased public awareness of hygiene and the need for measures against infectious diseases, a variety of items used in business or social activities have also been sterilized. In this case, sterilization can be performed using simpler methods, such as spraying or applying a disinfectant solution, or immersing the objects in a container of disinfectant solution. In either case, as the number of objects to be sterilized increases, it becomes difficult to determine which objects have been sterilized, and managing the timing for sterilization of each individual object can become complicated.

[0003] Patent Documents 1 and 2 disclose systems for supporting the management of sterilization deadlines. The system in Patent Document 1 manages sterilization-related information, such as the sterilization date, in a database for sterilization objects that need to be re-sterilized due to the expiration of their sterilization validity period or other reasons, and generates statistical information to provide to users. In the system in Patent Document 2, a two-dimensional barcode or non-contact tag representing individual information is attached to a set of sterilization objects, and readers capable of reading this individual information are installed in several locations, such as the sterilizer and storage area. The sterilizer reader reads the individual information when sterilization is performed and associates information about the sterilization process with the set of sterilization objects. The reader in the storage area reads the individual information of the stored set and associates the storage area information with the set of sterilization objects. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2021-13697 [Patent Document 2] Patent Publication No. 2021-108029 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] In a system like the one in Patent Document 2, where readers are fixedly installed in a limited number of locations, it is not possible to determine whether items in locations where there are no readers should be sterilized, and it is not easy to find items that require sterilization.

[0006] In view of the above, the present invention aims to provide a mechanism that can improve the efficiency of sterilization management for sterilization objects that may move to any location within a space where users are active. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] According to one aspect, there is provided a sterilization management system including: a first wireless device installed at a known location and storing first identification information; a second wireless device attached to an object to be sterilized and storing second identification information; a reader that moves with a mobile object, the reader being capable of reading the identification information stored in the wireless device from the wireless device and measuring a relative movement amount from a reference position using a self-location estimation method; a position estimation unit that estimates the position of the object based on the relative movement amount of the reader from a first time point when the reader reads the first identification information from the first wireless device to a second time point when the reader reads the second identification information from the second wireless device; a database that stores position information indicating the estimated position of the object and sterilization-related information about the object; and a notification unit that, when the object is selected based on the sterilization-related information, notifies a user of the estimated location of the object based on the position information stored in the database. Corresponding sterilization management methods and information processing devices are also provided. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the present invention, it is possible to improve the efficiency of sterilization management for sterilization objects that may move to any location within a space where users are active. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the configuration of a sterilization management system according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a tag reader according to an embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a management server according to an embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the configuration of an object table according to an embodiment. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the configuration of an area table, a sterilizer table, and a reader table according to an embodiment. [Figure 6]4A and 4B are explanatory diagrams showing examples of the configuration of a movement amount table and a tag detection table according to an embodiment; [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the configuration of a sterilization processing table according to an embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram for explaining an example of a scenario related to sterilization of an object to be sterilized. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram for explaining association of sterilization targets with sterilization processes in the scenario of FIG. 8; [Figure 10] FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the movement and detection of the object to be sterilized following the scenario of FIG. 8. [Figure 11] FIG. 1 is a first explanatory diagram for explaining an example of a graphical user interface (GUI) that supports sterilization management. [Figure 12] FIG. 2 is a second explanatory diagram for explaining an example of a GUI that supports sterilization management. [Figure 13] FIG. 3 is a third explanatory diagram for explaining an example of a GUI that supports sterilization management. [Figure 14] FIG. 4 is a fourth explanatory diagram for explaining an example of a GUI that supports sterilization management. [Figure 15] FIG. 5 is a fifth explanatory diagram for explaining an example of a GUI that supports sterilization management. [Figure 16] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a sterilizer according to an embodiment. [Figure 17] 10 is a flowchart showing an example of the flow of a data transmission process executed by a tag reader. [Figure 18] 10 is a flowchart showing an example of the flow of a data update process executed by the management server. [Figure 19] 10 is a flowchart showing a first example of the flow of a notification process executed by the management server. [Figure 20] 10 is a flowchart showing a second example of the flow of a notification process executed by the management server. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] Hereinafter, embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Note that the following embodiments do not limit the scope of the invention claimed. Although multiple features are described in the embodiments, not all of these multiple features are necessarily essential to the invention, and multiple features may be combined arbitrarily. Furthermore, in the accompanying drawings, the same reference numerals are used to designate the same or similar components, and redundant explanations will be omitted.

[0011] <1. System Overview> FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the configuration of a sterilization control system 1 according to one embodiment. The sterilization control system 1 is a system that supports the management of sterilization of multiple items. In the following description, items that are subject to sterilization treatment are referred to as sterilization targets (or simply targets). Sterilization control can be performed, for example, based on information such as the status of each sterilization target as to whether sterilization is effective and the expiration date of the sterilization treatment, to prompt a user to sterilize in a timely manner or to prevent a user from using an object that has not been properly sterilized. In this embodiment, the sterilization control system 1 stores location information of each sterilization target in a database for these purposes, in addition to sterilization-related information.

[0012] 1 shows three areas 10a, 10b, and 10c that are preset in the sterilization control system 1. Each of these areas 10a, 10b, and 10c may be, for example, a building, a floor within a building, a section of a floor, a room, or a predetermined outdoor area.

[0013] User 20a resides in area 10a. User 20a moves freely between areas while carrying tag reader 100a. User 20b resides in area 10c. User 20b moves freely between areas while carrying tag reader 100b. In this specification, the expression "a user carries an object" broadly encompasses various ways in which the user moves with the object (for example, moving while holding or wearing the object).

[0014] Area 10a contains items 30a and 30b. Area 10c contains item 30c. Items 30a, 30b, and 30c are all objects to be sterilized. Each of items 30a, 30b, and 30c may move from one area to another through the normal activities of users 20a, 20b (and other users).

[0015] In the following description, when there is no need to distinguish between areas 10a, 10b, and 10c, the alphabet at the end of the reference numeral will be omitted and these will be collectively referred to as area 10. The same applies to users 20 (users 20a, 20b), items 30 (30a, 30b, 30c), tag readers 100 (tag readers 100a, 100b), and other elements. The number of areas 10, number of users 20, and number of items 30 under the control of the system are not limited to the example shown in FIG. 1 and may be any number.

[0016] A sterilizer 60 with an openable door is installed in area 10b. For example, when a user 20a needs to sterilize an item 30a, the user 20a carries the item 30a to area 10b, places the item 30a inside the sterilizer 60, and activates the sterilizer 60 to begin the sterilization process. In situations where reliable sterilization is required, such as sterilization of medical instruments, an indicator such as a chemical indicator or a biological indicator is placed in the sterilizer 60 along with the item to be sterilized, and completion of the sterilization process is confirmed by a change in the indicator (e.g., a color change). In other situations, such an indicator may not be used. In addition to a circuit that controls the sterilization process so that the item to be sterilized is sterilized under appropriate processing conditions, the sterilizer 60 also includes an operation unit that accepts user operations, a communication interface that communicates with the management server 200, and a display unit that displays information. Note that this embodiment mainly describes an example in which the item to be sterilized is sterilized inside the sterilizer 60, but in other embodiments, spray-type or disinfection bath-type instruments may be used for sterilization. For clarity of illustration, only one sterilizer 60 is shown in Figure 1, but it will be appreciated that multiple different sterilizers 60 may be available.

[0017] The sterilization control system 1 utilizes wireless devices, also called tags, to assist in the management of sterilization. Location tags are a first type of wireless device (first wireless device) that is installed in each of the areas 10 under the management of the sterilization control system 1. Figure 1 shows location tag 40a installed in area 10a, location tag 40b installed in area 10b, and location tag 40c installed in area 10c. The installation location of each location tag 40 is known to the sterilization control system 1. Item tags are a second type of wireless device (second wireless device) that are attached to each of the items 30 to be sterilized. Figure 1 shows item tags 50a, 50b, and 50c attached to items 30a, 30b, and 30c, respectively.

[0018] In this embodiment, each of the tags, such as the position tag 40 and the item tag 50, is a passive RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) tag, i.e., a passive tag. A passive tag is composed of a small IC (Integrated Circuit) chip with built-in memory and an antenna, and stores identification information and other information for identifying the tag in the memory. In this specification, the identification information is simply referred to as an ID, and the identification information for identifying the tag is also referred to as a tag ID. Note that the tag ID may be considered to be information for identifying the object to which the tag is attached. In the example of FIG. 1, the position tags 40a, 40b, and 40c have unique tag IDs (first identification information) 41a, 41b, and 41c embedded therein, respectively. The item tags 50a, 50b, and 50c have unique tag IDs (second identification information) 51a, 51b, and 51c embedded therein, respectively. The IC chip of a passive tag operates using the electromagnetic energy emitted from the tag reader, modulating the tag ID and other information stored in the memory into an information signal, which is then transmitted (returned) from the antenna.

[0019] In this embodiment, a sterilization tag 80 is also installed inside the sterilizer 60. The sterilization tag 80 is a third type of wireless device (third wireless device) that stores a tag ID (third identification information) that identifies the sterilizer 60. The sterilization tag 80 may also be a passive tag. For example, the housing and door of the sterilizer 60 may be made of metal, in which case the tag ID of the sterilization tag 80 cannot be read by the external tag reader 100 unless the door is opened.

[0020] In another embodiment, each tag may be an active RFID tag. When each tag actively (e.g., periodically) transmits information to the surroundings using power from a built-in battery, the tag may be called a beacon tag. In yet another embodiment, each tag may be a wireless device that responds to a signal from a reader and returns information using, for example, the NFC (Near Field Communication) method or the Bluetooth (registered trademark) method. Each tag may be called any name, such as an IC tag, an IC card, or a responder.

[0021] The sterilization control system 1 includes a terminal device 90, a tag reader 100, and a management server 200. The terminal device 90, the tag reader 100, and the management server 200 are connected to a network 5. The network 5 may be a wired network, a wireless network, or any combination thereof. Examples of the network 5 may include the Internet, an intranet, and a cloud network.

[0022] The terminal device 90 is a user terminal used by a user 20 or an administrator of the sterilization management system 1. The terminal device 90 may be, for example, a general-purpose terminal such as a PC (Personal Computer) or a smartphone, or may be a dedicated terminal specialized for the purpose of sterilization management. The terminal device 90 may be portable or stationary. The terminal device 90 typically includes an input device for accepting user input, a communication interface for communicating with other devices (e.g., the management server 200), and a display device for displaying information. As an example, the terminal device 90 is used when the user 20 or the administrator views information provided by the management server 200.

[0023] The tag reader 100 is a reading device capable of reading information stored in a wireless device such as an RFID tag. For example, the tag reader 100 can detect the position tag 40 by reading a tag ID from the position tag 40. Similarly, the tag reader 100 can detect the item 30 by reading a tag ID 51 from an item tag 50 attached to the item 30. In this embodiment, the tag reader 100 is also capable of measuring the relative movement amount from a reference position using a self-localization method. The tag reader 100 can continuously attempt to read the tag and measure the movement amount while the tag reader 100 is operating, even without an explicit instruction from the user 20. The tag reader 100 provides the results of the tag reading and movement amount measurement to the management server 200. Tag reader 100 may be able to communicate directly with management server 200, or may be able to communicate indirectly with management server 200 via some kind of relay device (for example, a terminal carried by user 20). An example of a specific configuration of tag reader 100 will be described in further detail below.

[0024] Although the present specification mainly describes an example in which user 20 carries tag reader 100, tag reader 100 is not limited to this example and may move between areas together with any type of mobile object. Mobile objects may include, for example, a person, a vehicle, a cart, a wheelchair, a robot, and a drone. The mobile object may move automatically or autonomously, or may be moved by human power.

[0025] Management server 200 is an information processing device that manages the above-mentioned location information, sterilization-related information, and other information in a database. Management server 200 may be implemented, for example, as an application server, database server, or cloud server using a high-performance general-purpose computer. Management server 200 receives data indicating the results of tag reading and movement amount measurement from tag reader 100, and updates the database based on the received data. In addition, management server 200 provides information about the object to be sterilized to user 20 in response to an inquiry from user 20 (for example, via terminal device 90). An example of a specific configuration of management server 200 will be further described below.

[0026] 1 shows a single management server 200, the functions of the management server 200, which will be described in detail later, may be provided by a single device, or may be provided by multiple physically separate devices working together. Also, in this embodiment, an example will be described in which the management server 200 holds the database, but a device separate from the management server 200 may hold part or all of the database. For example, some of the data may be held by the wireless device or tag reader 100.

[0027] 1 depicts the terminal device 90 and the tag reader 100 as separate devices, an integrated device having the functions of both the terminal device 90 and the tag reader 100 may be provided. The terminal device 90 may be carried by the user 20 and may relay communication between the tag reader 100 and the management server 200. The functions of the management server 200 described in this specification may also be implemented in the terminal device 90.

[0028] <2. Tag reader configuration example> 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of tag reader 100 according to an embodiment. Referring to FIG. 2, tag reader 100 includes control unit 111, storage unit 112, communication unit 113, measurement unit 114, operation unit 115, and reading unit 116.

[0029] The control unit 111 includes a memory for storing a computer program and one or more processors (e.g., a CPU (Central Processing Unit)) for executing the computer program. The control unit 111 controls the overall functions of the tag reader 100 described in this specification. For example, the control unit 111 causes the reading unit 116 to read an RFID tag within the tag reading range and temporarily stores the read information and the read time in the memory unit 112 as read result data. In addition, in parallel with reading the RFID tag, the control unit 111 causes the measuring unit 114 to measure the relative movement amount of the tag reader 100 and stores measurement result data indicating the measurement result in the memory unit 112. The control unit 111 then transmits the read result data and measurement result data stored in the memory unit 112, together with the reader identification information (also referred to as a reader ID) of the device itself, to the management server 200 via the communication unit 113.

[0030] The storage unit 112 may include any type of storage medium, such as a semiconductor memory such as a read only memory (ROM) or a random access memory (RAM), an optical disk, or a magnetic disk. In this embodiment, the storage unit 112 stores the reading result data, measurement result data, and the reader ID of the tag reader 100.

[0031] The communication unit 113 is a communication interface for the tag reader 100 to communicate with the management server 200. For example, the communication unit 113 may be a WLAN interface for communicating with a WLAN (Wireless Local Area Network) access point, or a cellular communication interface for communicating with a cellular base station. The communication unit 113 may also be a connection interface for connecting to a relay device (for example, a Bluetooth (registered trademark) interface or a USB (Universal Serial Bus) interface).

[0032] The measurement unit 114 is a unit capable of measuring the amount of movement of the tag reader 100. In this embodiment, the measurement unit 114 measures the amount of movement of the tag reader 100 relative to a certain reference position using a self-location estimation method also known as PDR (Pedestrian Dead Reckoning), and outputs the measured amount of movement to the control unit 111. The reference position for measuring the amount of relative movement may be, for example, the position of the tag reader 100 at the time the tag reader 100 is activated. For example, the measurement unit 114 includes a three-axis acceleration sensor 114a, a gyro sensor 114b, and a geomagnetic sensor 114c. The three-axis acceleration sensor 114a measures the acceleration applied to the tag reader 100 in a device coordinate system specific to the tag reader 100 and outputs first sensor data. The gyro sensor 114b measures the angular velocity of the tag reader 100, i.e., a change in the attitude of the tag reader 100, and outputs second sensor data. Geomagnetic sensor 114c measures the orientation of tag reader 100 in real space and outputs third sensor data. Based on the sensor data from these sensors, measurement unit 114 accumulates the acceleration while converting the direction of acceleration of tag reader 100 into a direction in a coordinate system of real space, thereby measuring the relative movement amount of tag reader 100. The relative movement amount output from measurement unit 114 to control unit 111 may be a two-dimensional vector in a horizontal plane, or may be a three-dimensional vector including a component in the height direction.

[0033] As will be described later, in this embodiment, the position coordinates of the installation position of each position tag 40 are known and registered in a database. Therefore, the current absolute position (position coordinates) of the tag reader 100 can be estimated based on the relative movement amount from the time when the tag reader 100 detected a certain position tag 40 to the present time and the known position coordinates of the position tag 40. In this embodiment, an example in which the management server 200 estimates the position of the tag reader 100 will be mainly described, but the control unit 111 or measurement unit 114 of the tag reader 100 may access a database to estimate the position of the tag reader 100. Note that instead of including the measurement unit 114 in the tag reader 100, a measurement device separate from the tag reader 100 (for example, carried by the user 20) may measure the relative movement amount using a PDR. In that case, the tag reader 100 may receive measurement result data indicating the relative movement amount via a communication link with the measurement device.

[0034] The operation unit 115 accepts operations by the user 20. The operation unit 115 includes, for example, a physical input device such as a button, switch, or lever disposed on the housing of the tag reader 100. The operation unit 115 accepts operations by the user 20 via the input device and outputs an operation signal to the control unit 111. The operation unit 115 may also include a voice input interface such as a microphone.

[0035] The reading unit 116 is a unit capable of reading information stored in various RFID tags under the control of the sterilization management system 1 from the tags. Referring to FIG. 2, the reading unit 116 includes an RF controller 120, a power amplifier 121, a filter 122, a first coupler 123, a second coupler 124, an antenna 125, a power detection unit 126, and a canceller 127. The RF controller 120 outputs a transmission signal (e.g., a signal modulated in the UHF band) from the TX terminal to the power amplifier 121 under the control of the control unit 111. The power amplifier 121 amplifies the transmission signal input from the RF controller 120 and outputs it to the filter 122. The amplification factor of the transmission signal here may be variably controllable, and the higher the amplification factor, the higher the output intensity of the electromagnetic wave radiated from the tag reader 100. The filter 122 may be, for example, a low-pass filter, and is used to remove unwanted components from the transmission signal after amplification by the power amplifier 121. frequency The first coupler 123 distributes the transmission signal that has passed through the filter 122 to the coupler 124 and the power detection unit 126. The second coupler 124 outputs the transmission signal input from the first coupler 123 to the antenna 125, and outputs the received signal input from the antenna 125 to the RF controller 120. The antenna 125 transmits the transmission signal input from the coupler 124 into the air as an electromagnetic wave. The antenna 125 also receives a signal returned from an RFID tag present within the reading range of the tag reader 100 in response to the transmission signal, and outputs the received signal to the coupler 124. The power detection unit 126 detects the power level of the signal input from the first coupler 123, and outputs a signal RF_DETECT indicating the detected power level to the control unit 111. The canceller 127 receives a signal CARRIER_CANCEL indicating the power level of the carrier wave from the control unit 111. Then, based on CARRIER_CANCEL, the canceller 127 cancels the carrier component of the transmission signal, thereby extracting the desired signal component of the reception signal to be output to the RX terminal of the RF controller 120. The RF controller 120 demodulates the signal input from the RX terminal, acquires the tag ID and other information returned from the RFID tag, and outputs the acquired information to the control unit 111.

[0036] In this embodiment, the tag reading attempt by the reader 116 may be performed periodically (e.g., once per second) without requiring an explicit instruction from the user. Data transmission from the communication unit 113 to the management server 200 may also be performed periodically (e.g., once every few seconds) or each time a tag is read, without requiring an explicit instruction from the user. In order to omit transmission of redundant data and reduce communication load, the control unit 111 may exclude from the data to be transmitted records that are identical to records that have already been transmitted within a predetermined period of time. Note that in other embodiments, one or both of the tag reading attempt by the reader 116 and the transmission of data to the management server 200 may be performed in response to detection of a user input via the operation unit 115. When the communication unit 113 communicates indirectly with the management server 200 via a relay device, data transmission to the management server 200 may be performed only while the connection between the communication unit 113 and the relay device is active.

[0037] <3. Management Server Configuration Example> <3-1. Basic configuration> 3 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of management server 200 according to one embodiment. Referring to FIG. 3, management server 200 includes a communication unit 210, a sterilization database (DB) 220, and a management unit 230.

[0038] The communication unit 210 is a communication interface that allows the management server 200 to communicate with other devices. The communication unit 210 may be a wired communication interface or a wireless communication interface. In this embodiment, the communication unit 210 communicates with the terminal device 90 and the tag reader 100. The sterilization DB 220 is a database that stores data related to RFID tags and sterilization targets under the management of the system. In this embodiment, the sterilization DB 220 includes an object table 310, an area table 320, a sterilizer table 330, a reader table 340, a movement amount table 350, a tag detection table 360, and a sterilization process table 370. The management unit 230 is a collection of multiple software modules that provide management functions for managing the data in the sterilization DB 220. Each software module can be operated by one or more processors (not shown) of the management server 200 executing a computer program stored in a memory (not shown). In this embodiment, the management unit 230 includes a position estimation unit 231, a sterilization management unit 232, and a notification unit 233.

[0039] <3-2. Data configuration example> Figure 4 shows an example of the configuration of the object table 310 of the sterilization DB 220. Figures 5(A) to 5(C) respectively show examples of the configuration of the area table 320, sterilizer table 330 and reader table 340 of the sterilization DB 220. Figures 6(A) and 6(B) respectively show examples of the configuration of the movement amount table 350 and tag detection table 360. Figure 7 shows an example of the configuration of the sterilization treatment table 370.

[0040] The object table 310 has nine data items: tag ID 311, item ID 312, name 313, type 314, area 315, coordinates 316, status 317, latest process 318, and sterilization expiration date 319. The tag ID 311 is identification information that uniquely identifies the item tag 50 attached to each item 30 that is the sterilization target. The value of the tag ID 311 is the same as the tag ID value stored internally in the corresponding item tag 50. The item ID 312 is identification information that uniquely identifies each item 30. The name 313 indicates the name of each item 30. The type 314 indicates the type into which each item 30 is classified. The values ​​of the name 313 and type 314 of each item 30 may be determined by the user and registered in advance via a user interface provided by the management unit 230. Alternatively, the values ​​of the name 313 and type 314 may be stored in the item tag 50 as item-related information and read by the tag reader 100. In the latter case, the management server 200 may receive the values ​​of the name 313 and type 314 of each item 30 from the tag reader 100 in response to the initial tag reading from the item tag 50 of the item 30, and register them in the object table 310.

[0041] Area 315 indicates the area where each item 30 was last detected by tag reader 100, using an area ID that identifies that area. Coordinates 316 indicate the location coordinates of the point where each item 30 is estimated to be located. The values ​​of area 315 and coordinates 316 are examples of location information. As will be described later, this location information can be updated by location estimation unit 231 when tag reader 100 detects the movement of item 30.

[0042] Status 317 is status information indicating the sterilization state of each sterilization object. In the example of FIG. 4, the status of the sterilization objects identified by item IDs "IT01" and "IT03" is "○: Ready for use." This means that there are sufficient days left until the next sterilization process deadline for each sterilization object, and there is no problem with using each sterilization object. The status of the sterilization object identified by item ID "IT02" is "△: Requires sterilization." This means that there are only a few days left until the next sterilization process deadline for that sterilization object, and it is recommended that that sterilization process be performed early. Both of these status values ​​indicate that the sterilization object is still in a low-risk sterilization state. On the other hand, the status of the sterilization object identified by item ID "IT11" is "×: Expired." This means that the sterilization process deadline has already passed. This status value indicates that the sterilization object is in a high-risk sterilization state, and use of that sterilization object may not be recommended or may be prohibited. Latest Process 318 indicates the last sterilization process performed on each sterilization target object using a process ID that identifies that sterilization process. Sterilization Expiry Date 319 indicates the date by which the next sterilization process is due for each sterilization target object. The sterilization expiration date is, in principle, the date on which the effective sterilization period, calculated from the date of the previous sterilization process, ends. The effective sterilization period may be set in advance, for example, depending on the type of sterilization target object and the conditions of the sterilization process. Sterilization Expiry Date 319 is an example of timing information indicating the timing of the sterilization process to be performed on each sterilization target object. Instead of (or in addition to) sterilization expiration date 319, object table 310 may have data items indicating the sterilization process date (the date on which the previous sterilization process was performed) and expiration date as timing information. Status 317, Latest Process 318, and Sterilization Expiry Date 319 are examples of sterilization-related information. As will be described later, such sterilization-related information is acquired by sterilization management unit 232 when sterilization is performed on each sterilization target object and reflected in object table 310.

[0043] The area table 320 has six data items: tag ID 321, area ID 322, name 323, coordinates 324, map image 325, and scale 326. The tag ID 321 is identification information that uniquely identifies the position tag 40 installed in each area 10 under the management of the system. The value of the tag ID 321 is the same as the value of the tag ID stored internally in the corresponding position tag 40. The area ID 322 is identification information that uniquely identifies each area 10. The name 323 indicates the name of each area 10. 5 In the example of (A), the names of the areas 10 identified by the area IDs "AR01," "AR02," and "AR03," respectively, are "Area A," "Area B," and "Area C." Each name may actually be, for example, "Worksite," "Sterilization Room," "Office," "Entrance," "Changing Room," "First Floor," or "Outbuilding." Coordinates 324 represent the location coordinates of the installation location of the location tag 40 installed in each area 10. Map image 325 is a data item in which map image data of each area 10 is stored. Scale 326 indicates a ratio for converting distances on the map of map image 325 to distances in real space (e.g., the number of meters equivalent to one pixel in the image in real space). The map image data stored in map image 325 may be acquired from an external data source or uploaded by a user and updated as needed.

[0044] The sterilizer table 330 has four data items: tag ID 331, device ID 332, name 333, and installation area 334. Tag ID 331 is identification information that uniquely identifies the sterilization tag 80 installed in each sterilizer 60 under the control of the system. The value of tag ID 331 is the same as the tag ID value stored internally in the corresponding sterilization tag 80. Device ID 332 is identification information that uniquely identifies each sterilizer 60. Name 333 indicates the name of each sterilizer 60. Installation area 334 indicates the area in which each sterilizer 60 is installed by an area ID that identifies that area.

[0045] The reader table 340 has three data items: a reader ID 341, a name 342, and a user 343. The reader ID 341 is identification information that uniquely identifies each tag reader 100 used in the system. The name 342 indicates the name of each reader. The user 343 indicates the user 20 who uses each tag reader 100 by a user ID that identifies that user 20. Although not shown in the figure, the sterilization DB 220 may have an independent table that holds user information (e.g., user name, affiliation, login authentication information, etc.) for each user 20 identified by a user ID. Alternatively, the user information may be held in a separate database (e.g., an authentication DB).

[0046] The movement amount table 350 is a table for storing records of measurement result data (hereinafter referred to as measurement result records) received from the tag reader 100. The movement amount table 350 has three data items: measurement time 351, reader ID 352, and movement amount 353. The measurement time 351 indicates the time when the measurement was performed for the measurement result indicated by each measurement result record. The reader ID 352 is identification information that identifies the tag reader 100 that performed the measurement for the measurement result indicated by each measurement result record. In the example of FIG. 6(A), the six records in the movement amount table 350 indicate the results of movement amount measurements performed by the tag reader 100 identified by the reader ID "RD01" at six different times "T01" to "T06". The movement amount 353 indicates the relative movement amount as a measurement result. Here, the movement amount 353 indicates the relative movement amount in the form of a two-dimensional vector in a coordinate system of real space.

[0047] The tag detection table 360 ​​is a table for storing records of read result data received from the tag reader 100 (hereinafter referred to as read result records). The tag detection table 360 ​​has four data items: read time 361, tag ID 362, reader ID 363, and detection position 364. The read time 361 indicates the time when the tag ID was read for each read result record. The tag ID 362 indicates the tag ID read for each read result record. The reader ID 363 is identification information that identifies the tag reader 100 that performed the tag reading for each read result record. In the example of FIG. 6(B), the first record in the tag detection table 360 ​​indicates that the tag reader 100a identified by the reader ID "RD01" read the tag ID "TGA" (for example, the tag ID 41a of the position tag 40a in area 10a) at time "T01". The second record indicates that the tag reader 100a read tag ID "TG01" (e.g., tag ID 51a of item tag 50a of item 30a) at time "T05." The third record indicates that the tag reader 100a read tag ID "TG02" (e.g., tag ID 51b of item tag 50b of item 30b) at time "T06." The detection position 364 represents the position coordinates of the point where the tag reader 100 was located at the time tag reading from item tag 50 was performed (i.e., the detection position of item tag 50 and corresponding item 30).

[0048] Sterilization process table 370 is a table that holds information about the sterilization processes performed by each sterilizer 60. Sterilization process table 370 has five data items: process ID 371, device 372, program 373, start time 374, and end time 375. Process ID 371 is identification information that uniquely identifies each sterilization process. Device 372 indicates the sterilizer 60 that performed each sterilization process by a device ID that identifies that sterilizer 60. Program 373 is identification information that identifies the set of process conditions set in the sterilizer 60 when performing each sterilization process. The process conditions may include one or more items such as set temperature, process time, and type of sterilant. Start time 374 indicates the time when each sterilization process started. End time 375 indicates the time when each sterilization process ended.

[0049] <3-3. Location estimation> The position estimation unit 231 adds each record of the measurement result data received from the tag reader 100 via the communication unit 210 to the movement amount table 350 as a measurement result record. In addition, the position estimation unit 231 adds each record of the reading result data received from the tag reader 100 via the communication unit 210 to the tag detection table 360 ​​as a reading result record. Then, the position estimation unit 231 estimates the current position of the tag reader 100 based on the relative movement amount of the tag reader 100 from the time when the tag reader 100 read the tag ID from the position tag 40 and the known position of the position tag 40. In addition, the position estimation unit 231 estimates the position of the item 30 to which the item tag 50 is attached in response to the tag reader 100 reading the tag ID from the item tag 50. The estimated position of the item 30 may be, for example, equal to the current position of the tag reader 100 at the time when the item 30 was detected. The position estimation unit 231 adds the position coordinates representing the estimated position of each item 30 to the detection position 364 column of the tag detection table 360. The position estimation unit 231 also determines to which area the latest estimated position of each item 30 belongs, and updates the values ​​of area 315 and coordinates 316 in the object table 310 with the area ID of the determined area and the position coordinates representing the latest position.

[0050] For example, let (X0, Y0) be the amount of relative movement of a tag reader 100 at a first time point when the tag ID is read from a position tag 40 by the tag reader 100, and (U0, V0) be the position coordinates of the known installation position of the position tag 40. Also, let (X, Y) be the amount of relative movement of the tag reader 100 at a second time point when the tag ID is read from an item tag 50 by the same tag reader 100. Then, the position (U, V) of the object to be sterilized to which this item tag 50 is attached can be derived according to the following equation (1): (U,V)=(U0+(X-X0),V0+(Y-Y0)) (1)

[0051] Although equation (1) is based on the assumption that a two-dimensional position is estimated, it can easily be extended to three-dimensional position estimation. As described above, position estimation unit 231 may estimate that the sterilization target is located at a position derived according to equation (1). Furthermore, when the same item tag 50 is detected multiple times within a certain period of time, position estimation unit 231 may estimate that the corresponding sterilization target is located at the center (e.g., center of gravity) of multiple estimated positions derived according to equation (1). In sterilization management system 1 according to this embodiment, the position of each sterilization target is estimated in this manner, and position information indicating the estimated position is stored in sterilization DB 220.

[0052] <3-4. Obtaining sterilization-related information> The sterilization management section 232 acquires sterilization-related information output by the sterilizer 60 when a sterilization process is performed by the sterilizer 60. The sterilization-related information output by the sterilizer 60 may include, for example, a process ID that identifies each sterilization process, a device ID that identifies the sterilizer 60 that output the information, program information, and information indicating the process period from the start to the end of the sterilization process (e.g., start time and end time). If the sterilizer 60 has a communication function for communicating with the management server 200, the sterilization management section 232 may receive the sterilization-related information from the sterilizer 60 via the communication section 210. If the sterilizer 60 does not have a communication function, the sterilization management section 232 may acquire the sterilization-related information via the input / output interface of the management server 200 or the terminal device 90 (for example, uploaded in the form of a data file or manually entered). The sterilization management section 232 stores the acquired sterilization-related information in the sterilization process table 370.

[0053] In this embodiment, the sterilization management unit 232 further associates the sterilization-related information stored in the sterilization treatment table 370 with the sterilization target that has undergone the sterilization treatment. Specifically, the sterilization management unit 232 determines the temporal correlation between a third time point when the tag ID is read from the sterilization tag 80 by the tag reader 100 and a fourth time point when the tag ID is read from the item tag 50 by the same tag reader 100. For example, if the time difference between the third and fourth time points is smaller than a preset threshold, it is presumed that the corresponding sterilization target was present in the vicinity when the corresponding sterilizer 60 was operated by the user 20. If the third and fourth time points are close in time to the treatment period of a certain sterilization treatment performed by the sterilizer 60 (for example, immediately before or after the treatment period), it is highly likely that the corresponding sterilization target was sterilized in that sterilization treatment. Based on this correlation, sterilization management unit 232 updates the values ​​of status 317, latest process 318, and sterilization deadline 319 of the record in object table 310 corresponding to the sterilization object detected by tag reader 100 to new information.

[0054] Fig. 8 is an explanatory diagram for explaining an example of a scenario related to the sterilization of a sterilization target in which a user is involved. Fig. 9 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the association of a sterilization target with a sterilization process in the scenario of Fig. 8.

[0055] FIG. 8(A) shows how user 20a carrying tag reader 100a brings item 30b, which is an item to be sterilized, into area 10b. At time T31, tag reader 100a reads the tag ID from position tag 40b installed in area 10b (arrow R1) and transmits the read result data and measurement result data to management server 200. The first read result record in tag detection table 360 ​​shown in the middle of FIG. 9 is the record corresponding to this read result data. Also, at time T31′, tag reader 100a reads the tag ID from item tag 50b of item 30b being carried by user 20a (arrow R2) and transmits the read result data and measurement result data to management server 200. Position estimation unit 231 of management server 200 estimates the latest position of item 30b based on the read result data and measurement result data received from tag reader 100a. The second read result record in the tag detection table 360 ​​shown in the middle of FIG. 9 is a record corresponding to this read result data, and indicates the estimated position of the article 30b at this time point as the value of the detected position 364.

[0056] FIG. 8(B) shows user 20a carrying tag reader 100a moving along dashed arrow M1 in area 10b and then placing item 30b into sterilizer 60. At time T32 while user 20a is working, tag reader 100a again reads the tag ID from item tag 50b of item 30b (arrow R3) and transmits the read result data and measurement result data to management server 200. Position estimation unit 231 of management server 200 estimates the latest position of item 30b based on the read result data and measurement result data received from tag reader 100a. The third read result record in tag detection table 360 ​​shown in the middle of FIG. 9 is the record corresponding to this read result data. Furthermore, at time T32′ close to time T32, tag reader 100a reads the tag ID from sterilization tag 80 installed inside sterilizer 60 (arrow R4) and transmits the read result data to management server 200. The fourth read result record in the tag detection table 360 ​​shown in the middle of FIG. 9 is a record corresponding to this read result data.

[0057] The sterilizer 60 then performs a sterilization process on the item 30b, and outputs sterilization-related information relating to the performed sterilization process to the management server 200. The sterilization process table 370 shown in the upper part of Figure 9 partially illustrates the sterilization-related information that is output to the management server 200 at this time. For example, the process ID of the performed sterilization process is "M112", the start time is T33, and the end time is T34.

[0058] Although not shown in Figure 8, at times T35 and T35' when user 20a is removing item 30b from sterilizer 60 after the sterilization process is completed, tag reader 100a reads the tag IDs from item tag 50b and sterilization tag 80, respectively. The fifth and sixth read result records in tag detection table 360 ​​shown in the middle of Figure 9 indicate the read results of these tag IDs.

[0059] 8(C) shows how user 20a carries sterilized item 30b from area 10b to area 10c along dashed arrow M2. While user 20a is carrying item 30b, tag reader 100a reads the tag ID from item tag 50a multiple times (arrow R5) and transmits read result data and measurement result data to management server 200. Position estimation unit 231 of management server 200 tracks the position of item 30b. The seventh and eighth read result records in tag detection table 360 ​​shown in the middle of FIG. 9 indicate the estimated position of continuously tracked item 30b as the value of detection position 364.

[0060] From the read result record in the tag detection table 360 ​​shown in FIG. 9, the sterilization management unit 232 recognizes that the item tag 50b of item 30b was detected at time T32, which is approximately the same time as time T32' when the sterilization tag 80 was detected. Similarly, the sterilization management unit 232 recognizes that the item tag 50b of item 30b was detected at time T35, which is approximately the same time as time T35' when the sterilization tag 80 was detected. Furthermore, by referring to the sterilization process table 370, the sterilization management unit 232 recognizes that the sterilization process identified by process ID "M112" was performed by the sterilizer 60 from time T33 to time T34. For example, time T32 is immediately before time T33, and time T35 is immediately after time T34. Based on this knowledge, the sterilization management unit 232 determines that the sterilization process identified by process ID "M112" was performed on item 30b, and associates the sterilization-related information of that sterilization process with item 30b. In the example at the bottom of Figure 9, the value of Latest Process 318 for the record corresponding to item 30b in object table 310 has been updated to "M112." The value of Sterilization Expiry Date 319 for that record has also been updated to the deadline for the next sterilization process (for example, the date on which a specified expiration date calculated from the processing date of the most recent sterilization process ends). The value of Status 317 may also be updated.

[0061] As one example, the sterilization management unit 232 may associate sterilization-related information for a sterilization process with an item 30 on the condition that the pair of item tag 50 and sterilization tag 80 is detected both before and after the sterilization process period, rather than just before or after. By confirming the detection of the tag pair both before and after the process period, it is possible to reduce the possibility of erroneously associating a sterilization process with an item to be sterilized if the item is placed in a sterilizer but removed before the sterilization process is performed. As another example, a special user operation (e.g., pressing a button) on the operation unit 115 of the tag reader 100 may be predefined to associate the item to be sterilized with the sterilization process. In this case, the control unit 111 of the tag reader 100 assigns a flag indicating the detection of the user operation to the read result data indicating the result of tag reading while the user operation is detected, and transmits the read result data to the management server 200. When the sterilization management unit 232 receives reading result data including the tag ID of the item tag 50 and this flag, it determines that the corresponding item 30 has been sterilized, and associates the sterilization process performed at the corresponding time with the item 30. In this case, the association can be determined more accurately based on the detection of only a single pair of the item tag 50 and the sterilization tag 80.

[0062] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram illustrating the movement and detection of item 30b, which is a sterilization target, following the scenario in FIG. 8. FIG. 10(A) shows how user 20a carries item 30b to area 10c, and then person 25, who is not carrying tag reader 100, moves item 30b along dashed arrow M3. The sterilization target moves in this manner through the involvement or work of various people, which can result in loss of tracking of its location. However, in this embodiment, multiple tag readers 100 are carried and operated by multiple different users 20 in the sterilization management system 1. For example, FIG. 10(A) also shows how user 20b carrying tag reader 100b visits area 10c. Tag reader 100b reads the tag ID from location tag 40c installed in area 10c (arrow R6). Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 10(B), when user 20b moves along dashed arrow M4 and approaches item 30b, tag reader 100b reads the tag ID from item tag 50b on item 30b (arrow R7). User 20b does not necessarily intend to approach item 30b at this time. Tag reader 100b transmits reading result data indicating the tag reading result for item 30b and measurement result data to management server 200. Position estimation unit 231 of management server 200 estimates the latest position of item 30b based on the data received from tag reader 100b and updates the position information in sterilization DB 220. In this way, the position of each sterilization target under the management of sterilization management system 1 is tracked over time, and the position information is maintained in sterilization DB 220.

[0063] Although the example described here is one in which the association between the object to be sterilized and the sterilization process is based on the detection of the sterilization tag 80 installed in the sterilizer 60, the manner of association is not limited to this example. Several other ways of associating the object to be sterilized with the sterilization process will be further described below.

[0064] <3-5. User notifications to support sterilization management> To assist in sterilization management, notification unit 233 notifies user 20 of the estimated location of each sterilization target object based on the location information stored in sterilization DB 220 via a user interface provided by terminal device 90. The sterilization target object to be notified may be selected based on the above-mentioned sterilization-related information stored in sterilization DB 220. Here, an example will be described in which user notification is primarily performed using a graphical user interface (GUI), but user notification may also be performed using other types of UI, such as a voice interface.

[0065] The notification unit 233 accepts user input specifying notification conditions for selecting sterilization targets, for example, on a screen displayed on the display. One notification condition may be a condition related to status information among the sterilization-related information held in the target table 310. As one example, the user 20 requests the management server 200 for location information of properly sterilized sterilization targets in order to know the location of sterilization targets that can be used while avoiding the risk of infection. In response to this request, the notification unit 233 selects one or more sterilization targets in the target table 310 whose status 317 value indicates "Ready for Use" and notifies the user 20 of the estimated location of the selected sterilization targets. As another example, the user 20 requests the management server 200 for location information of sterilization targets whose sterilization deadline has already passed in order to find sterilization targets that require immediate sterilization. In response to this request, the notification unit 233 selects one or more sterilization targets in the target table 310 whose status 317 value indicates "Expired" and notifies the user 20 of the estimated location of the selected sterilization targets.

[0066] Another notification condition may be a condition related to timing information among the sterilization-related information held in the object table 310. As an example, in order to timely sterilize the sterilization objects, the user 20 requests location information of sterilization objects with a short number of days remaining until their sterilization deadline from the management server 200. In response to this request, the notification unit 233 selects one or more sterilization objects in the object table 310 for which the number of days remaining until the date indicated by the sterilization deadline 319 is equal to or less than a threshold, and notifies the user 20 of the estimated locations of the selected sterilization objects. The threshold value, which is compared with the number of days remaining until the sterilization deadline, may be set in advance or variably specified by the user 20. The threshold value may be a positive number, zero (i.e., the current day is the deadline date), or a negative number (i.e., the deadline date is a day in the past).

[0067] In this embodiment, notification unit 233 obtains map image data of the area where the sterilization targets are located (for example, the area indicated by area 315 in object table 310) from area table 320, and displays the map image on the screen of terminal device 90. Notification unit 233 then plots the estimated locations of one or more sterilization targets selected according to the notification conditions described above on the map image, thereby notifying user 20 of the estimated locations of those sterilization targets. By viewing the displayed map image, user 20 can quickly and intuitively know where the desired sterilization targets are located.

[0068] For sterilization targets whose sterilization expiration date does not satisfy the specified notification condition, notification unit 233 may not notify user 20 of the estimated location of the sterilization target, or may notify user 20 in a first notification mode. In the latter case, notification unit 233 notifies user 20 of the estimated location of sterilization targets whose sterilization expiration date satisfies the specified notification condition in a second notification mode that emphasizes the location more than the first notification mode. This makes it easier for user 20 to distinguish and find targets that should be sterilized early among multiple sterilization targets. Furthermore, notification unit 233 may notify user 20 of the estimated location of sterilization targets whose sterilization expiration date is in the past in a notification mode different from that for other sterilization targets. This reduces the possibility that user 20 will mistakenly use a sterilization target whose sterilization expiration date has expired, posing a hygiene risk. The notification mode may be highlighted (or changed) by any method, such as changing the display color, changing the display size, blinking, or adding additional graphic elements.

[0069] In cases where user 20 carries terminal device 90 together with tag reader 100 to view location information of the sterilization target, notification unit 233 may further plot the current location of tag reader 100 estimated by location estimation unit 231 on the map image described above. In this case, user 20 can quickly find the target sterilization target while checking on the screen the positional relationship between the current location of tag reader 100 that user 20 is carrying and the estimated location of the sterilization target. This also applies to cases where tag reader 100 itself has a user interface including a display, and location information is viewed using that tag reader 100. Note that when user 20 carries both tag reader 100 and portable terminal 90, tag reader 100 and portable terminal 90 may collectively be referred to as a portable system.

[0070] The location information of the sterilization target notified by notification unit 233 may represent only the most recent estimated location of the sterilization target, or may represent multiple estimated locations of the sterilization target corresponding to multiple time points. In the latter case, notification unit 233 may display on the screen a history of the estimated locations of the sterilization target over multiple time points. Notification unit 233 may also display on the screen a chronological track of the estimated locations of the sterilization target over multiple time points. If user 20 cannot find a sterilization target at its most recent estimated location, user 20 can estimate its actual location by referring to this location history or movement track, thereby efficiently finding the sterilization target. Instead of notifying the estimated location directly indicated by the location information, notification unit 233 may predict the current location of the sterilization target from multiple past estimated locations indicated by the location information and notify user 20 of the predicted current location of the sterilization target as the estimated location of the sterilization target. For example, notification unit 233 may predict the current location of the object to be sterilized based on the periodicity of the object's position change, or may predict that the object to be sterilized is currently located in a location where the object has frequently been located in the past.

[0071] In this embodiment, the location information of estimated locations of sterilization objects corresponding to multiple points in time, which is accumulated in tag detection table 360, is based on read result data and measurement result data received from multiple tag readers 100 carried by different users 20. The more tag readers 100 operating in sterilization management system 1, the more likely it is that each of the sterilization objects present in various locations will be detected by one of tag readers 100. Alternatively, the more active users 20 or other mobile objects that move tag readers 100 are, the more likely it is that each sterilization object will be detected by tag reader 100. If the number and activity of tag readers 100 are sufficient, sterilization objects will eventually be detected by tag readers 100 no matter where they are located, and the detection capability of the system as a whole for sterilization objects will be strengthened.

[0072] 11 to 15 are explanatory diagrams for explaining an example of a GUI that supports sterilization management by user 20. Fig. 11 shows an example of a sterilization management screen 400a. Sterilization management screen 400a includes an area designation field 411, a status condition field 412, a display button 420, a list information area 430, a map display area 440, and a detailed information area 460.

[0073] Area designation field 411 is a field (e.g., a pull-down menu) that allows user 20 to designate area 10 for which a map image should be displayed in map display area 440. Status condition field 412 is a field (e.g., a pull-down menu) that allows user 20 to designate the status of sterilization objects whose estimated locations should be plotted on the map image. For example, as shown in the example of FIG. 11 , user 20 designates "area C" in area designation field 411 and "all" in status condition field 412, and operates display button 420. Notification unit 233 then selects all sterilization objects estimated to be present in area C in the latest estimation results from among the sterilization objects registered in object table 310, and displays a list of the selected sterilization objects in list information area 430. In the example of FIG. 11 , list information area 430 displays information such as the name, status, and sterilization expiration date of each sterilization object, but any other combination of information may be displayed in list information area 430.

[0074] Notification unit 233 further displays a map image of area 10 specified by the user in map display area 440 and plots the estimated locations of the sterilization objects selected according to the specified conditions on the map image. In the example of FIG. 11, five icons 441a-441e representing five sterilization objects are plotted on the map image of area C in map display area 440. The icon image of each icon 441 may be associated with, for example, the type of sterilization object it corresponds to; in the example of FIG. 11, the icon images of icons 441a-441c are different from the icon images of icons 441d and 441e. Additionally, additional graphic elements 442c and 442d are added to icons 441c and 441d, respectively. Graphic elements 442c and 442d indicate that the number of days remaining until the sterilization expiration date of the sterilization objects corresponding to icons 441c and 441d is below a preset threshold, and therefore these sterilization objects should be sterilized early. An additional graphic element 443d is added to icon 441d. Graphic element 443d indicates that the sterilization deadline of the sterilization object corresponding to icon 441d has passed and therefore use of the sterilization object is prohibited. In the example of Figure 11, icon 445 is further superimposed on the map image in map display area 440. Icon 445 indicates the estimated current location of tag reader 100, for example, when sterilization management screen 400a is displayed on terminal device 90 carried by user 20 along with tag reader 100.

[0075] When user 20 operates (e.g., clicks or taps) one of icons 441a to 441e in map display area 440, notification unit 233 displays detailed information about the sterilization object corresponding to the operated icon in detailed information area 460. In the example of Fig. 11, as a result of operating icon 441a (encircled by a dashed line), the name, status, location information, and sterilization-related information of the sterilization object corresponding to icon 441a are displayed in detailed information area 460.

[0076] 11 is merely one example of a screen for informing user 20 of the estimated location of the items to be sterilized. Some of the components shown may be omitted from the screen, the arrangement of the components may be changed, or additional components may be incorporated into the screen.

[0077] An example of a sterilization management screen 400b is shown in Figure 12. The configuration of sterilization management screen 400b is substantially the same as the configuration of sterilization management screen 400a shown in Figure 11, but sterilization management screen 400b additionally includes an item name field 413. Item name field 413 is a text field that allows user 20 to specify the name (at least part of) of the sterilization object whose estimated position is to be plotted on the map image. In the example of Figure 12, "Area C" is specified in area specification field 411, "Available" is specified in status condition field 412, and "Gown" is specified in item name field 413. When user 20 operates display button 420 in this state, notification unit 233 selects sterilization objects whose sterilization status is "Available" and whose names include the character string "Gown" from among the sterilization objects estimated to be present in area C. Notification unit 233 then displays a list of the selected sterilization objects in list information area 430, and plots icons corresponding to the selected sterilization objects on the map image of area C in map display area 440. In the example of FIG. 12, information about two sterilization objects named "Gown A" and "Gown B" is displayed in list information area 430, and two icons 441a, 441b corresponding to these sterilization objects are displayed in map display area 440.

[0078] FIG. 13 shows an example of a sterilization management screen 400c. The configuration of sterilization management screen 400c is substantially the same as the configuration of sterilization management screen 400a shown in FIG. 11, but sterilization management screen 400c additionally includes a remaining days field 414. Remaining days field 414 is a field (e.g., a pull-down menu) that allows user 20 to specify a threshold value for the number of days remaining until the sterilization deadline. In the example of FIG. 13, "Area C" is specified in area specification field 411, "Sterilization required" is specified in status condition field 412, and "2 days or less" is specified in remaining days field 414. When user 20 operates display button 420 in this state, notification unit 233 selects sterilization targets that are estimated to be present in area C and have a sterilization status of "Sterilization required" or "Expired" and have 2 days or less remaining until the sterilization deadline. Notification unit 233 then displays a list of the selected sterilization objects in list information area 430, and plots icons corresponding to the selected sterilization objects on the map image of area C in map display area 440. In the example of FIG. 13, information about two sterilization objects named "Gown C" and "Goggles D" is displayed in list information area 430, and two icons 441c and 441d corresponding to these sterilization objects are displayed in map display area 440. In addition, icon 441c has a graphic element 442c added to it, indicating that early sterilization is required. Icon 441d has a graphic element 442d added to it, also indicating that early sterilization is required, and a graphic element 443d added to it, indicating that use is prohibited because the sterilization expiration date has expired.

[0079] FIG. 14 shows an example of a sterilization management screen 400d. The configuration of the sterilization management screen 400d is similar to the configuration of the sterilization management screen 400c shown in FIG. 13. However, in the example of FIG. 13, user 20 operates icon 441c, resulting in the display of a pop-up menu 450. Pop-up menu 450 is a menu that allows the display mode of the estimated location of the selected sterilization object to be switched between three modes. The default display mode may be the "latest" display mode. In the "latest" display mode, as shown in FIGS. 11 to 13, only icons indicating the latest estimated location of each sterilization object are superimposed on the map image in the map display area 440. In the example of FIG. 14, the "trajectory" display mode is specified. In this case, notification unit 233 uses graphic element 451 to display the chronological trajectory of the estimated location of the selected sterilization object over the past N days (N>0) in the map display area 440.

[0080] An example of a sterilization management screen 400e is shown in Figure 15. The configuration of the sterilization management screen 400e is the same as the configuration of the sterilization management screen 400d shown in Figure 14. However, Figure 15 In this example, the "History" display mode is specified in the pop-up menu 450. In this case, the notification unit 233 displays the history of the positions of the selected object to be sterilized estimated multiple times over the past M days (M>0) in the map display area 440 using multiple icons 452. Compared to the "Trajectory" display mode, the "History" display mode does not display a chronological position trajectory on the screen, but instead allows the user 20 to be shown a larger number of estimated positions (over a longer period of time) on the screen. The values ​​of these period parameters N and M may be set arbitrarily by the user 20.

[0081] 11 to 15, various examples of conditions for selecting objects to be sterilized whose estimated locations should be notified are described, but it goes without saying that conditions other than those described may be used, such as conditions related to the number of sterilization processes performed in the past, the date of the sterilization process, or the sterilizer that performed the sterilization process.

[0082] <4. Sterilizer configuration example> <4-1. Basic configuration example> Figure 16 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a sterilizer 60 according to one embodiment. Referring to Figure 16, the sterilizer 60 comprises a controller 61, a memory 62, an operation unit 63, a display unit 64, a communication I / F 65, a sterilization chamber 66, and a sterilization control unit 67.

[0083] The controller 61 is a control circuit that controls the overall functions of the sterilizer 60. The memory 62 stores one or more computer programs related to the sterilization process, as well as various parameters and data. The controller 61 may include a processor that executes the computer programs stored in the memory 62. The operation unit 63 is a unit for accepting operations by the user 20. The operation unit 115 may include, for example, one or more of a button, a switch, a touch panel, and a keyboard. The display unit 64 is a unit for displaying information and images to the user 20. The communication I / F 65 is an interface that mediates communication between the sterilizer 60 and the management server 200.

[0084] The sterilization chamber 66 is a chamber that accommodates the items 30 to be sterilized (i.e., the objects to be sterilized) in its internal space. The sterilization chamber 66 is equipped with an openable door (not shown). For example, the user 20 can place the items 30 in the sterilization chamber 66 and remove the items 30 from the sterilization chamber 66 with the door open. The sterilization process is performed with the door closed. As described above, in this embodiment, a sterilization tag 80 is installed in the sterilization chamber 66. The sterilization control unit 67 is a control circuit that controls the execution of the sterilization process on the items 30 in the sterilization chamber 66. For example, the sterilization control unit 67 exposes the items 30 in the sterilization chamber 66 to high-pressure steam or a sterilant, or irradiates the items 30 in the sterilization chamber 66 with ultraviolet light, according to processing conditions instructed by the controller 61. The sterilizer 60 actually includes many more components, such as sensors and actuators, for such sterilization processes; however, these components are omitted from FIG. 16 for clarity. When the sterilization process is completed, the controller 61 generates sterilization-related information that may include the device ID of the sterilizer 60, program information, and information indicating the processing period of the sterilization process, and outputs the generated sterilization-related information to the management server 200 via the communication I / F 65. Each sterilization process is assigned a process ID to identify the sterilization process.

[0085] <4-2. Some variations> In one modified example, the sterilizer 60 may further include a reading unit 71. The reading unit 71 has the same function as the reading unit 116 of the tag reader 100 described above, and is capable of reading, for example, a tag ID from an item tag 50 attached to an item 30. In this modified example, the sterilization tag 80 does not need to be installed in the sterilization chamber 66. The controller 61 controls the reading unit 71 to read the tag from the item tag 50 of the item 30 placed in the sterilization chamber 66 when the sterilization process is performed. 71 The tag ID that is read is sent to the reader. 71When the sterilization process is completed, the controller 61 outputs the sterilization-related information together with the acquired tag ID to the management server 200. With this configuration, the sterilization management section 232 of the management server 200 can associate the appropriate sterilization target with each sterilization process based on the tag ID output from the sterilizer 60, without relying on the results of reading the tag ID from the sterilization tag 80.

[0086] In another variation, the sterilizer 60 may further include a short-range communication I / F 72. The short-range communication I / F 72 may be a communication I / F that uses any type of wireless communication protocol that can operate with low power, such as Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) or ZigBee. In this variation, the item 30 is further provided with a memory device 52. The memory device 52 operates in accordance with the wireless communication protocol used by the short-range communication I / F 72, thereby enabling data to be written to and read from the memory device 52. For example, when the sterilization process for the item 30 is completed, the controller 61 writes information such as the sterilization date and the expiration date of the sterilization to the memory device 52 via the short-range communication I / F 72. Thus, even if the item 30 is moved after being removed from the sterilizer 60, the user 20 can read information from the memory device 52 using another device that can communicate according to the same wireless communication protocol, thereby determining whether the sterilization of the item 30 is still valid. Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, an example was described in which sterilization-related information was output from the sterilizer 60 to the management server 200 via the communication I / F 65, but the sterilization-related information may also be transmitted to the management server 200 via this memory device 52 (and other devices as necessary).

[0087] The information written to the memory device 52 may include program information for the sterilization process performed on the item 30. In this case, the controller 61 of the sterilizer 60 may read the program information for the previous sterilization process from the memory device 52 of the item 30 placed in the sterilization chamber 66 via the short-range communication I / F 72, and reuse this information to set the process conditions for the next sterilization process.

[0088] The memory device 52 may further include a simple display (for example, a small liquid crystal panel or a 7-segment display), and the information such as the expiration date written in the memory device 52 may be displayed on the display. This allows the user 20 to determine whether the sterilization of the item 30 is effective, simply by looking at the display attached to the item 30.

[0089] <5. Processing flow> In this section, examples of several processing flows that can be executed in the sterilization control system 1 will be explained using the flowcharts of Figures 17 to 20. In the following explanation, processing steps will be abbreviated as S (step).

[0090] <5-1. Data transmission process (tag reader)> Fig. 17 is a flowchart showing an example of the flow of data transmission processing executed by tag reader 100. The data transmission processing of Fig. 17 can be executed repeatedly while tag reader 100 is in operation.

[0091] First, in S111, the reader 116 attempts to read the tag ID from a nearby RFID tag by emitting electromagnetic waves within the reading range. If the tag ID is received from the nearby RFID tag using the energy of the electromagnetic waves as a result of the tag reading attempt (S112-Yes), the process proceeds to S113. On the other hand, if the tag ID is not received (S112-No), the process proceeds to S115.

[0092] In S113, the control unit 111 acquires the current time as the tag ID read time, for example by referring to an internal real-time clock. Next, in S114, the control unit 111 transmits read result data including the read tag ID, the read time, and the reader ID of the tag reader 100 to the management server 200 via the communication unit 113. Then, the processing proceeds to S115.

[0093] In S115, the measurement unit 114 measures the amount of relative movement from the reference position based on sensor data output from, for example, a three-axis acceleration sensor, a gyro sensor, and a geomagnetic sensor. Next, in S116, the control unit 111 acquires the current time as the measurement time. Then, in S117, the control unit 111 transmits measurement result data including the amount of relative movement measured by the measurement unit 114, the measurement time, and the reader ID of the tag reader 100 to the management server 200 via the communication unit 113. Thereafter, the processing returns to S111.

[0094] <5-2. Data update process (management server)> Fig. 18 is a flowchart showing an example of the flow of a data update process executed by management server 200. The data update process of Fig. 18 may be executed each time a reading result record is added to tag detection table 360, or may be executed periodically, such as once every few hours or once a day. Although omitted from the flowchart, it is assumed that records of measurement result data and reading result data received from tag reader 100 are sequentially accumulated in movement amount table 350 and tag detection table 360 ​​of sterilization DB 220.

[0095] First, in S211, the position estimation unit 231 of the management server 200 acquires one newly added reading result record from the tag detection table 360. Subsequent processing branches in S212 and S213 depending on the type of RFID tag tag ID indicated by the acquired reading result record. If the acquired reading result record indicates the tag ID of the item tag 50 (S212-Yes), processing proceeds to S214. If the acquired reading result record indicates the tag ID of the sterilization tag 80 (S213-Yes), processing proceeds to S217. If the acquired reading result record indicates the tag ID of the position tag 40, processing returns to S211, and the next reading result record is acquired from the tag detection table 360.

[0096] In S214, the position estimation unit 231 estimates the position of the sterilization target associated with the tag ID indicated by the read result record acquired in S211, based on the known position of the position tag 40 already detected by the same tag reader 100 and the relative movement amount of the tag reader 100. For example, the position estimation unit 231 can derive the estimated position of the sterilization target by adding a vector representing the relative movement amount of the tag reader 100 from the detection time of the position tag 40 to the detection time of the item tag 50 to the position coordinates of the position tag 40, according to the above-mentioned equation (1). Next, in S215, the position estimation unit 231 estimates the area 10 in which the sterilization target is located based on the derived estimated position. Next, in S216, the position estimation unit 231 updates the position information stored in the target table 310 of the sterilization DB 220 based on the estimation results in S214 and S215. Then, the processing returns to S211.

[0097] In S217, the sterilization management unit 232 refers to the tag detection table 360 ​​to determine whether there are any sterilization objects detected by the same tag reader 100 at a time close to the read time indicated by the read result record acquired in S211 (i.e., the time difference is smaller than the threshold value). If no such sterilization object is present, the process returns to S211. If there are any such sterilization objects, i.e., if there are any sterilization objects detected by the same tag reader 100 at approximately the same time as the detection of the sterilization tag 80, the process proceeds to S218 to associate the sterilization object with a sterilization treatment. In S218, the sterilization management unit 232 identifies the sterilization treatment to be associated with the sterilization object by comparing the read times of the two tag IDs with the treatment durations of each sterilization treatment indicated in the sterilization-related information from the sterilizer 60 in which the detected sterilization tag 80 is installed. Next, in S219, the sterilization management unit 232 associates the sterilization treatment identified in S218 with the corresponding sterilization object in the object table 310. Next, in S220, the sterilization management section 232 updates the sterilization status and sterilization deadline of the sterilization target in the target table 310. Thereafter, the process returns to S211.

[0098] <5-3. Notification processing (management server)> 19 and 20 are flowcharts showing an example of the flow of notification processes executed by the management server 200. These notification processes can be executed, for example, when a sterilization management application that can run on the terminal device 90 accesses the management server 200.

[0099] (1) First example In the first example shown in FIG. 19, it is assumed that a condition related to the timing of the sterilization process is specified as the notification condition for notifying the location information.

[0100] First, in S231, notification unit 233 receives a request for location information of an object to be sterilized from terminal device 90. The request for location information may be received together with notification conditions specified by user 20 via the GUI described with reference to Figures 11 to 15, for example.

[0101] Next, in S232, the notification unit 233 determines the target area of ​​the notification and the specified notification conditions. The target area may be an area explicitly specified by the user 20, or may be the area where the terminal device 90 that sent the request is currently located. The notification conditions may be specified in the form of, for example, the number of days remaining until the deadline for the sterilization process.

[0102] Next, in S233, notification unit 233 identifies one or more sterilization targets estimated to be present in the notification target area by referencing target object table 310. Next, in S234, notification unit 233 selects, from the identified sterilization targets, sterilization targets that satisfy the specified notification conditions (for example, sterilization targets for which the number of days remaining until the sterilization processing deadline is less than or equal to a threshold). Also, in S235, notification unit 233 obtains map image data of the notification target area from area table 320.

[0103] Then, in S236, notification unit 233 notifies user 20 via terminal device 90 of the estimated location of the sterilization target selected in S234. This notification may be performed in various ways. For example, in S237, notification unit 233 displays a map image of the target area on the display of terminal device 90 and plots the estimated location (or the history or trajectory of the estimated location) of the selected sterilization target on the map image. Additionally or alternatively, in S238, notification unit 233 displays the estimated location of the selected sterilization target in an emphasized manner compared to the estimated locations of other sterilization targets. Additionally or alternatively, in S239, notification unit 233 displays the estimated locations of sterilization targets whose expiration dates have expired in a manner that allows them to be distinguished from other sterilization targets.

[0104] (2) Second example In the second example shown in FIG. 20, it is assumed that a condition related to the sterilization status is specified as the notification condition for notifying the location information.

[0105] First, in S241, notification unit 233 receives a request for location information of an object to be sterilized from terminal device 90. The request for location information may be received together with notification conditions specified by user 20 via the GUI described with reference to Figures 11 to 15, for example.

[0106] Next, in S242, the notification unit 233 determines the target area of ​​the notification and the specified notification conditions. The notification conditions may be specified, for example, in the form of specifying one or more candidate values ​​of the sterilization status.

[0107] Next, in S243, notification unit 233 identifies one or more sterilization targets estimated to be present in the notification target area by referencing target object table 310. Next, in S244, notification unit 233 selects sterilization targets that satisfy the specified notification conditions from among the identified sterilization targets (for example, sterilization targets whose sterilization status indicates a specified value). Also, in S245, notification unit 233 obtains map image data of the notification target area from area table 320.

[0108] Then, in S246, notification unit 233 notifies user 20 of the estimated location of the object to be sterilized selected in S244 via terminal device 90. This notification may be performed in the various ways described in relation to S236 in FIG.

[0109] The notification process described using Figures 19 and 20 is not limited to the specific processing order shown in the flowchart, and may be performed interactively between the user 20 and the management server 200 via a UI provided by the terminal device 90.

[0110] <6. Summary> Various embodiments and modifications of the technology according to the present disclosure have been described in detail above using FIGS. 1 to 20. According to the above-described embodiments, in a sterilization control system, a first wireless device (location tag) storing first identification information is installed at a known location, and a second wireless device (item tag) storing second identification information is attached to an object to be sterilized. A reading device (tag reader) moving with the moving object attempts to read the identification information from the wireless device and measures the relative movement amount from a reference position using a self-location estimation method. The position of the object to be sterilized is estimated based on the relative movement amount of the reading device from a first time point when the reading device reads the first identification information from the first wireless device to a second time point when the reading device reads the second identification information from the second wireless device. A database of the sterilization control system stores location information indicating the estimated location of each object estimated in this manner, as well as sterilization-related information for each object. At least one object to be sterilized is then selected based on the sterilization-related information, and the estimated location of the selected object is notified to the user based on the location information stored in the database. With this configuration, the system can continuously track the location of the object to be sterilized and inform the user of its estimated location in situations where the object to be sterilized may move anywhere within the space where the user is active. The range of locations where the object to be sterilized may be detected is not limited to a fixed range but is expanded to include the range in which the reading device may move along with the moving object. Therefore, even if the object to be sterilized moves to a location that is not normally expected, the user can efficiently find the object to be sterilized based on the estimated location of the object notified by the system. As a result, sterilization management becomes more efficient, improving the hygienic environment and reducing the risk of infectious diseases.

[0111] Furthermore, according to the above-described embodiment, the sterilization-related information includes timing information indicating the timing of the sterilization treatment to be performed on the sterilization target, and the user can be notified of the estimated location of the selected sterilization target based on the timing information. Therefore, the user can sterilize each sterilization target in a timely manner without missing the timing to sterilize it. The timing information included in the sterilization-related information can include at least one of a sterilization treatment date indicating the date on which the sterilization target was last sterilized and an expiration date indicating the date on which the validity period from the sterilization treatment date expires. Therefore, the user can be guided to use only sterilization targets that pose no or low hygiene risks in relation to the validity period of the sterilization, or can be notified of the location of sterilization targets that pose a high risk and prompt the user to perform sterilization. For example, the user can be notified of the estimated location of a sterilization target that meets the notification condition that the number of days remaining until the sterilization treatment expiration date is below a predetermined or user-specified threshold. This prevents the validity period of the sterilization from expiring without the necessary sterilization treatment being performed.

[0112] Furthermore, according to the above-described embodiment, the sterilization-related information includes status information indicating the sterilization state of the sterilization object, and the estimated location of the selected sterilization object can be notified to the user based on the status information. This allows the user to quickly find and use sterilization objects that are in a good sterilization state, or to properly identify sterilization objects that should not be used because they are not in a good sterilization state.

[0113] Furthermore, according to the above-described embodiment, sterilization-related information can be output by the sterilizer performing the sterilization process, and the sterilization-related information can be stored in a database. By linking the sterilization management system with the sterilizer in this manner, it becomes easy to automatically collect information such as the sterilization status and sterilization expiration date of each sterilization object and use it to support sterilization management. According to one example, a third wireless device (sterilization tag) storing third identification information is installed in the sterilizer. Then, based on the correlation between the third point in time when the third identification information is read from the third wireless device by the reading device and the fourth point in time when the second identification information is read from the second wireless device, the association between the sterilization-related information output from the sterilizer and the sterilization object can be determined. In this case, for automatic association between the sterilization-related information and the sterilization object, it is sufficient for the sterilizer to have the function of externally outputting sterilization-related information. Therefore, the above-described sterilization management support mechanism can be realized while minimizing the cost of modifying existing sterilizers.

[0114] According to the above-described embodiment, each wireless device is an RFID tag, and the reader reads information returned from the RFID tag using electromagnetic energy emitted within the reading range. In this case, there is no need to install a battery or a complex transceiver in each wireless device attached to the object, and the system according to the above-described embodiment can be implemented at low cost even when there are many objects to be sterilized in the system. Furthermore, by combining RFID tags with a self-localization method, data for estimating the location of an object can be collected even in closed environments, such as indoors or underground, where remote communication with the external environment is not possible, or in environments where the use of strong radio waves is prohibited. The collected data can be transmitted to a server all at once after the reader moves to a location where remote communication is permitted.

[0115] Although the present specification mainly describes an example in which the technology disclosed herein is used to support sterilization management, the technology disclosed herein may be applied to any application other than sterilization management. Generally speaking, the technology disclosed herein can be applied to a variety of deadline management applications, including those for items for which a deadline for some user action is set and for which location tracking is required due to the possibility of movement within a space. In other words, the technology disclosed herein can be widely used to streamline deadline management for objects that may move to any location within a space where a user is active.

[0116] <7. Other embodiments> The above-described embodiment can also be realized in the form of a process in which a program for realizing one or more functions is supplied to a system or device via a network or a storage medium, and one or more processors in a computer of the system or device read and execute the program, or by a circuit (e.g., ASIC) that realizes one or more functions.

[0117] The invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the following claims are appended to apprise the public of the scope of the invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0118] 1: Sterilization management system, 5: Network, 10a, 10b, 10c: Area, 20a, 20b: User, 30a, 30b, 30c: Article (object to be sterilized), 40a, 40b, 40c: Position tag (first wireless device), 50a, 50b, 50c: Article tag (second wireless device), 60: Sterilizer, 80: Sterilization tag (third wireless device), 90: Terminal device, 100: Tag reader (reading device), 200: Management server (information processing device), 210: Communication unit, 220: Sterilization DB (database), 231: Position estimation unit, 232: Sterilization management unit, 233: Notification unit, 400a, 400b, 400c, 400d, 400e: Sterilization management screen

Claims

1. a first wireless device located at a known location and storing first identification information; a second wireless device attached to the object to be sterilized and storing second identification information; a reading device that moves together with the moving object, capable of reading identification information stored in the wireless device from the wireless device and measuring a relative movement amount from a reference position using a self-position estimation method; a position estimation unit that estimates a position of the object based on the amount of relative movement of the reader from a first time point when the first identification information is read from the first wireless device by the reader to a second time point when the second identification information is read from the second wireless device by the reader; a database that stores sterilization-related information including location information that indicates an estimated location of the object and timing information that indicates a timing of the sterilization treatment to be performed on the object; a notification unit that selects an object to be sterilized based on the timing information included in the sterilization-related information, and notifies a user of the estimated location of the object based on the location information stored in the database; Sterilization control system including.

2. the sterilization-related information includes status information indicating a sterilization state of the object; the notification unit selects the object based on the status information included in the sterilization-related information. The sterilization control system according to claim 1 .

3. the timing information includes at least one of a sterilization date indicating the date on which the sterilization treatment was last performed on the object and an expiration date indicating the date on which a validity period from the sterilization treatment date ends, the notification unit, when the deadline date determined based on the timing information for the object satisfies a notification condition, selects the object and notifies the user of a position where the object is estimated to be present; The sterilization control system according to claim 1 .

4. The sterilization management system according to claim 3 , wherein the notification condition includes that the number of days remaining until the deadline is equal to or less than a threshold value that is set in advance or specified by the user.

5. The notification unit notifying the user of a location where the object is estimated to exist in a first notification mode for the object whose deadline date does not satisfy the notification condition; For the object whose deadline date satisfies the notification condition, notify the user of the location where the object is estimated to exist in a second notification manner that is more emphasized than the first notification manner. The sterilization control system according to claim 3 or 4.

6. The sterilization management system according to any one of claims 3 to 5, wherein the notification unit notifies the user of the estimated location of an object whose expiration date is in the past in a notification manner different from that for other objects.

7. 7. The sterilization management system according to claim 1, wherein the notification unit performs the notification by displaying, on a screen of the user's terminal device, a map image of the area where the object is located, on which the position of the object is plotted.

8. the position information represents a plurality of estimated positions of the object corresponding to a plurality of time points, the notification unit plots a history of the location where the object is estimated to exist or a trajectory of movement of the object on the map image based on the location information and displays the plotted history on the screen; The sterilization control system according to claim 7.

9. the position estimation unit further estimates a position of the reading device based on the amount of relative movement measured by the reading device; the notification unit further plots the estimated position of the reading device on the map image and displays the plotted position on the screen. The sterilization control system according to claim 7 or 8.

10. The sterilization management system according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the position information represents a plurality of estimated positions of the object corresponding to a plurality of time points, and the plurality of estimated positions are estimated by the position estimation unit based on the results of reading identification information from a wireless device by a plurality of reading devices and the results of measuring the relative movement amount by the plurality of reading devices.

11. a management unit that acquires the sterilization-related information output by the sterilizer that performs the sterilization process and stores it in the database; The sterilization control system according to any one of claims 1 to 10, further comprising:

12. a third wireless device installed in the sterilizer and storing third identification information; further comprising the management unit associates the sterilization-related information output by the sterilizer with the object based on a correlation between a third time point when the third identification information is read from the third wireless device by the reading device and a fourth time point when the second identification information is read from the second wireless device by the reading device. The sterilization control system of claim 11.

13. the wireless device is an RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) tag, The reader emits electromagnetic waves within a reading range and uses the energy of the electromagnetic waves to read information returned from the wireless device. The sterilization control system according to any one of claims 1 to 12.

14. reading first identification information from a first wireless device installed at a known location by a reader that moves with the mobile object; reading second identification information from a second wireless device attached to the object to be sterilized by the reading device; measuring a relative movement amount from a reference position using a self-position estimation method by the reading device; a management server estimating a position of the object based on the amount of relative movement of the reader from a first time point when the reader reads the first identification information from the first wireless device to a second time point when the reader reads the second identification information from the second wireless device; storing sterilization-related information in a database by the management server, the sterilization-related information including location information indicating an estimated location of the object and timing information indicating a timing of the sterilization treatment to be performed on the object; the management server selecting an object to be sterilized based on the timing information included in the sterilization-related information, and notifying a user of the estimated location of the object based on the location information stored in the database; Sterilization control methods including:

15. a communication unit that receives, from a reader capable of reading identification information stored in a wireless device from the wireless device and measuring a relative movement amount from a reference position using a self-position estimation method, a reading result of the identification information and a measurement result of the relative movement amount; a position estimation unit that estimates the position of the object based on the amount of relative movement of the reading device from a first time point when first identification information is read by the reading device from a first wireless device installed at a known position to a second time point when second identification information is read by the reading device from a second wireless device attached to the object to be sterilized; a database that stores sterilization-related information including location information that indicates an estimated location of the object and timing information that indicates a timing of the sterilization treatment to be performed on the object; a notification unit that selects an object to be sterilized based on the timing information included in the sterilization-related information, and notifies a user of the estimated location of the object based on the location information stored in the database; An information processing device comprising:

Images