JP2007191230A - Method and system for inventory management - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a method and a system for inventory management capable of performing the efficient inventory management by a medium having identification information such as an IC tag by effectively solving a problem of multi-read and read-skip specific to the medium having identification information such as the IC target having the reading pluralism and the read-skipping property. <P>SOLUTION: In the inventory management method for discriminating an article by reading a medium having identification information by a reading means when performing the inventory of stored articles by attaching identification information to each of the stored articles by the medium having identification information, the medium having identification information with reading pluralism and the read-skipping property is used for the medium having identification information. The inventory includes a step of collectively reading the medium having identification information on the plurality of articles included in a predetermined reading unit, a step of preparing the reading data from the reading result, a step of evaluating the reading data by a predetermined method based on the inventory management data before starting the inventory, and a step of correcting the inventory management data according to the result of evaluation. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to inventory management, and more particularly to inventory management involving inventory of articles stored in a warehouse or the like.

  For inventory management involving inventory (stock status check) of articles stored in a warehouse, as in the examples disclosed in, for example, Patent Literature 1 to Patent Literature 6 and the like, in particular, efficiency improvement of inventory Many techniques for achieving this have already been proposed.

JP 2002-60011 A Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-35827 JP 2002-284309 A JP 7-315525 A JP 2004-196439 A JP 2003-2415 A

  As seen in the examples disclosed in Patent Document 1 to Patent Document 6, the efficiency of inventory management in a warehouse or the like is obtained by attaching the identification information (for example, an ID code) to an article to be managed and reading it. It is based on a method of performing inventory by discriminating articles individually. Conventionally, a bar code is generally used as a medium for attaching identification information to an article. A bar code is an optical medium and is read optically. Therefore, when a barcode is used for the identification information-accompanying medium, for example, an operation of reading the barcode for each of the articles stored on the shelf of the warehouse is required. For this purpose, work such as taking out articles from the shelf one by one is required. For this reason, compared with the case where inventory is performed manually, a considerable amount of work is still required although considerable efficiency can be achieved.

  By the way, new identification information-accompanying media have been developed due to recent progress in IC technology. A typical example is an IC tag (also called an RF (Radio Frequency) ID tag). The IC tag is configured to cause the reading means to read the information recorded therein with electromagnetic waves. Such an IC tag can read a plurality of tags in a lump (the reading means supports reading a plurality of tags in a lump), that is, has a plurality of readings and is non-electromagnetic. It is possible to read even if it is shielded, that is, it has a characteristic of reading transparency. For this reason, with an article with identification information attached by an IC tag, it is possible to read the identification information for a plurality of articles at once, the articles overlap in the reading direction, or the article is blocked by a shelf structural element or the like. It is possible to read the identification information even if it is in a state where it can be read. Therefore, if an IC tag or a medium with identification information that is functionally similar thereto is used, for example, when taking inventory in a warehouse, it is possible to check the inventory status of the goods while being stored in the warehouse shelf. This makes it possible to greatly improve the efficiency of inventory management.

  However, there is a problem with using an identification information-attached medium such as an IC tag for inventory management. That is a problem that multiple reading occurs due to reading pluralities and reading transparency in the IC tag, and there is a possibility that reading leakage may occur. Here, multiple reading means that identification information is read twice or more for one article. Further, the reading omission means that there may be an article that leaks without being able to read the identification information for a plurality of articles that should be read in one reading operation. For example, when the identification information of each article is read by the reading operation in units of shelves with respect to the articles stored in each of the plurality of shelves to which the shelf numbers are assigned, This is a case where a part of the article stored in the number i is leaked without being read. If multiple reading or reading omission occurs, accurate inventory cannot be performed.

  The present invention has been made in the background as described above, and by effectively solving the problems of multiple reading and reading omission, an identification information-attached medium such as an IC tag, that is, reading pluralities and reading transparency. It is an object of the present invention to enable efficient inventory management using a medium with identification information.

  In the present invention, for the above purpose, identification information is attached to each stored article by an identification information-attached medium, and when the stored article is invented, the identification information-attached medium is read by a reading means to determine the article. In the inventory management method described above, an identification information supplementary medium having a reading plurality and a reading transparency is used as the identification information supplementary medium, and the inventory includes a plurality of the articles included in a predetermined reading unit. A step of collectively reading the identification information-attached medium, a step of creating read data from a read result of the step, a step of evaluating the read data by a predetermined method based on inventory management data before starting the inventory, and Including a step of correcting the inventory management data in accordance with an evaluation result in the step.

  Further, in the present invention, in the inventory management method as described above, an IC tag is used as the identification information-accompanying medium having the reading plurality and reading transparency.

  Further, in the present invention, for inventory management for executing the inventory management method as described above, a plurality of the articles included in a predetermined reading unit of the identification information-attached medium having the reading plurality and the reading transparency are collectively displayed. Reading means, reading data is created from the result read by the reading means, the read data is evaluated by a predetermined method based on inventory management data before the start of the inventory, and further according to the evaluation result It is characterized by having a data processing device for correcting inventory management data.

  In the present invention, an IC tag is used as the identification information-accompanying medium in the inventory management system as described above.

  In the present invention, an identification information supplementary medium having a plurality of reading characteristics and a reading transparency is used as the identification information supplementary medium, and the inventory includes the identification information supplementary medium for a plurality of the articles included in a predetermined reading unit. Thus, the read data created based on the read result is evaluated by a predetermined method based on the inventory management data before the start of the inventory. By evaluating the read data, it is possible to effectively eliminate the problems of multiple reading and reading omission that are inherent to identification information-attached media with multiple reading and reading transparency, enabling efficient inventory management. Become.

  Hereinafter, modes for carrying out the present invention will be described. FIG. 1 schematically shows a system configuration in inventory management according to an embodiment. This embodiment is an example when applied to an automatic warehouse. A shelf device 1 is provided in the automatic warehouse. The shelf apparatus 1 is configured by arranging a large number of shelves 2 with respective shelf numbers in the vertical and horizontal directions. A plurality of articles 4 are stored in the shelves 2 by being stored in buckets 3, and the articles 4 are used as identification information-attached media having a reading plurality and a reading transparency to accompany the identification information. An IC tag 5 is attached. The shelf apparatus 1 is generally provided in a plurality of rows, but only one row is shown in the figure.

  Further, the automatic warehouse is provided with a transport device 6 for taking in and out the articles 4 with respect to the shelf device 1. The conveyance device 6 is configured as a stacker crane used in a general automatic warehouse. In other words, the transport device 6 is configured to include a lifting platform 7 that can be moved up and down and moved back and forth for loading and unloading articles to and from the shelf 2, and by traveling along the shelf device 1 and raising and lowering the lifting platform 7. The lifting platform 7 is positioned with respect to each shelf 2 of the shelf apparatus 1, and the lifting platform 7 is moved forward and backward in the positioned state so that articles 4 can be taken in and out of each shelf 2 of the shelf apparatus 1. Yes.

  In order to configure an inventory management system in such an automatic warehouse, a reading means for reading identification information from an IC tag 5 which is an identification information-attached medium attached to the article 4, specifically, an IC tag reader 8 and an IC tag reader 8 are provided. Based on the identification information read by the tag reader 8, a main data processing device 9 for inventory management that creates an inventory master as inventory management data is provided, and the IC tag reader 8 reads the identification information from the IC tag 5 based on the identification information. An auxiliary data processing device 10 for reading data for creating reading data in a predetermined format is provided.

  The IC tag reader 8 and the auxiliary data processing device 10 are mounted on the lifting platform 7 of the transport device 6. As the IC tag reader 8, a commercially available ready-made one can be used. In the present embodiment, the IC tag reader 8 is a ready-made one, and the auxiliary data processing device 10 is provided for this purpose. The auxiliary data processing device 10 creates read data in a predetermined format as described above. In this embodiment, the read data is as association data (identification information / shelf number association data) obtained by performing a process of associating the IC tag number, which is identification information read by the IC tag reader 8 from the IC tag 5, with the shelf number of the shelf 2. Created. Such an auxiliary data processing device 10 can be omitted by providing the IC tag reader with the function.

  The IC tag reader 8 mounted on the lifting platform 7 of the transport device 6 is positioned with respect to the shelf 2 of the shelf device 1 by running of the transport device 6 and lifting and lowering of the lift table 7 and stored in the shelf 2 in the positioned state. 4 reads the IC tag 5. Reading of the IC tag 5 is performed using the shelf 2 as a reading unit. That is, it is performed by reading each IC tag 5 collectively for a plurality of articles 4 stored in one shelf 2. The IC tag 5 is read while performing a creep operation in the reading area. Here, the reading area is a spatial range in which the IC tag reader 8 can read the IC tag 5 and is determined by the characteristics of the IC tag 5 and the IC tag reader 8. The creep operation is an operation in which the IC tag reader 8 is moved forward or backward toward the shelf 2 by the lifting platform 7 at a speed at which the IC tag reader 8 can read the IC tag 5. The reason for performing the reading while performing such a creep operation is to enable more stable reading. That is, the radio waves that reach the IC tag reader 8 from the IC tag 5 include direct waves that reach the IC tag reader 8 directly from the IC tag 5 and reflected waves that reach the IC tag reader 8 while reflecting on the way. And a null point where the radio wave disappears due to interference between these direct waves and reflected waves, and reading is impossible at this null point, but by performing reading while performing a creep operation, the null point problem can be effectively avoided, Reading can be performed more stably.

  Read data created by the auxiliary data processing device 10 for the result of the IC tag reader 8 reading the IC tag 5 is transmitted to the main data processing device 9 by wireless communication or the like. The main data processing device 9 that has received the read data evaluates it by a predetermined method, and corrects the inventory master according to the current inventory status based on the evaluation result.

  Next, the inventory performed by the above inventory management system will be described. FIG. 2 shows the flow of processing in inventory. The inventory is advanced by checking the stock status of the articles 4 stored in the shelf device 1 in units of shelves. Accordingly, the process of positioning the IC tag reader 8 with respect to one shelf 2 by the transport device 6 (step 201), and the process of collectively reading each IC tag 5 for a plurality of articles 4 stored in the shelf 2 ( Step 202), a reading process consisting of a process of creating read data from the read result (step 203) and a process of transmitting the read data to the main data processing device 9 (step 204). The process of determining whether or not the process has been completed (step 205), the process of the first evaluation process (step 206) performed after the determination in step 205 becomes affirmative, and subsequent to the first evaluation process. Second evaluation process (step 207) and inventory correction process performed according to the result of the second evaluation process Comprising 208).

  Hereinafter, each of these processing steps will be described. In the IC tag reader positioning process (step 201), the IC tag reader 8 is positioned with respect to one shelf 2 of the shelf device 1 by running of the transport device 6 or raising and lowering of the lifting platform 7.

  In the IC tag reading process (step 202), the IC tag reader 8 is advanced to the reading area at the moving speed with respect to the shelf 2 where the IC tag reader 8 is positioned, and the creep operation is performed while entering the reading area. The IC tags 5 are collectively read for a plurality of articles 4 stored on the shelf 2.

  In the read data creation process (step 203), the auxiliary data processing apparatus 10 creates read data in a predetermined format for the result read in step 202. The read data is created by associating the IC tag number read in step 202 with the shelf number of the shelf 2 in the reading as described above. Specifically, an IC tag number read from the IC tag 5 is IC_k, and a shelf number of the shelf 2 in the reading is i, and an arbitrary value, for example, a numerical value 1 is recorded as a value with reading for a set of IC_k and i. Read data is created in a format, that is, a format recorded as the following equation (1).

ここで、式（１）による記録は、主データ処理装置９が保持している棚卸し対象のＩＣタグ番号の全てについてｖ（ＩＣ_k、ｉ）＝任意の初期値とした式を予め作成して補助データ処理装置１０に保持させておき、読取り結果に応じてその初期値を読取り有り値に変更することでなすのが実際的である。

Here, the recording by the equation (1) is assisted by creating in advance an equation with v (IC_k, i) = arbitrary initial values for all the inventory tag IC tag numbers held by the main data processing device 9. It is practical to store the data in the data processing apparatus 10 and change the initial value to a read value according to the read result.

  In the data transmission process (step 204), the read data created in step 203 is transmitted to the main data processing device 9.

  In the whole shelf reading completion determination process (step 205), it is determined whether or not the reading processing from step 201 to step 204 has been completed for all the shelves scheduled for inventory. If the determination result is negative, the process returns to step 201 and the process up to step 204 is repeated for the remaining shelves. On the other hand, if the determination result is affirmative, the routine proceeds to step 206.

  In the first evaluation process (step 206), the main data processing device 9 evaluates the result of the reading process, that is, the read data by a predetermined method. In this embodiment, as an evaluation method of read data, a method of evaluating by the following formula (2) based on an inventory management master held by the main data processing device 9 (this is inventory management data before the start of inventory) Is used. The evaluation according to the expression (2) is performed for all the IC tag numbers to be inventoried held by the main data processing device 9.

ここで、ＩＣ_ｋはＩＣタグ番号、i_cpuは、あるＩＣタグ番号ＩＣ_ｋの物品が格納されていると在庫管理マスタ上に記録されている棚の棚番号、そしてａは、棚番号i_cpuの棚に隣接する棚の集合であり、a∈｛i_cpu、 i_up、 i_dn、 i_r、 i_l……｝（i_up：i_cpuの上に位置する棚番号、i_dn：i_cpuの下に位置する棚番号、i_r ：i_cpuの右に位置する棚番号、i_l ：i_cpuの左に位置する棚番号、………）と表される。棚番集合ａには、棚番号i_cpuの棚に対して上下左右で隣接する棚だけでなく、右上、右下、左上、左下、さらには前後で隣接する棚までも含めることができる。ただし、こうした棚番集合ａの設定は、式（２）による評価の整合性を保持するために、棚卸しの開始前に行う必要がある。つまり棚卸し作業の途中で棚番集合ａの設定を変更することはできないということである。

Here, IC_k is an IC tag number, i _cpu is a shelf number of a shelf recorded on the inventory management master when an article of an IC tag number IC_k is stored, and a is a shelf of shelf number i _cpu . A∈ {i _cpu, i _up, i _dn, i _r, i _{l ......} } (i _up : shelf number located above i _cpu , i _dn : under i _cpu , I _r : shelf number located to the right of i _cpu , i _l : shelf number located to the left of i _cpu ,... The shelf number set a can include not only the shelf adjacent to the shelf of the shelf number i _cpu vertically and horizontally, but also the upper right, the lower right, the upper left, the lower left, and the shelf adjacent to the front and rear. However, such setting of the shelf number set a needs to be performed before the start of inventory in order to maintain the consistency of evaluation according to the equation (2). That is, the setting of the shelf number set a cannot be changed during the inventory work.

  By performing such reading data evaluation, it is possible to effectively solve the problems of multiple reading and reading omission. That is, even if there is multiple reading or reading omission in the reading of the IC tag 5 by the IC tag reader 8, an error due to multiple reading or reading omission is canceled by so-called read data evaluation, and finally the actual inventory status in the current state Data is obtained.

  In the second evaluation process (step 207), all of the inventory target IC tag numbers held by the main data processing device 9 are evaluated by the following equation (3).

式（３）におけるＩＣ_ｋとi_cpuは、式（２）の場合と同様である。式（３）が満たされれば、あるＩＣタグ番号ＩＣ_kの物品が棚番i_cpuの棚に格納されていることになり、したがってその物品の在庫状態は、主データ処理装置９が保持している在庫マスタにおける記録通りであることになる。棚卸し対象のＩＣタグ番号の全てについて式（３）が満たされていれば、処理を終了する。一方、式（３）が満たされなければ、ＩＣタグ番号ＩＣ_kの物品がいずれの棚にも格納されていないということになり、その物品の在庫状態は、主データ処理装置９が保持している在庫マスタにおける記録通りでないことになる。そのようなＩＣタグ番号があった場合には在庫修正処理過程（ステップ２０８）に進む。

IC_k and i _cpu in equation (3) are the same as in equation (2). If the expression (3) is satisfied, an article with a certain IC tag number IC_k is stored in a shelf with a shelf number i _cpu , and therefore the main data processing device 9 holds the inventory status of the article. It will be as recorded in the inventory master. If the expression (3) is satisfied for all the IC tag numbers to be inventoried, the process is terminated. On the other hand, if Expression (3) is not satisfied, it means that the article with the IC tag number IC_k is not stored in any shelf, and the main data processing device 9 holds the inventory status of the article. This is not as recorded in the inventory master. If there is such an IC tag number, the process proceeds to the inventory correction process (step 208).

  In the inventory correction process (step 208), if not all of the IC tag numbers to be inspected satisfy the expression (3) in the second evaluation process, the IC that does not satisfy the expression (3) The inventory status of the article is corrected for the tag number, and the process is terminated.

  The example applied to the automatic warehouse system has been described above, but the present invention is not limited to the automatic warehouse system, and can be applied to any system as long as it is a system that stores articles requiring inventory management.

  The present invention effectively eliminates the problems of multiple reading and reading omission, thereby enabling efficient inventory management using an identification information-attached medium such as an IC tag, such as an automatic warehouse system. It can be widely used in the storage field of goods requiring inventory management.

It is a figure which shows the system configuration | structure in the inventory management by one Embodiment. It is a figure which shows the flow of the process in the inventory performed by the inventory management system of FIG.

Explanation of symbols

1 Shelf device 2 Shelf 4 Goods 5 IC tag (Media with identification information)
6 Conveying device 7 Elevator 8 IC tag reader (reading means)

Claims (4)

In the inventory management method in which identification information is attached to each of the stored articles by an identification information-attached medium, and the inventory is determined by reading the identification information-attached medium by a reading unit when taking inventory of the stored articles.
As the identification information supplementary medium, an identification information supplementary medium having a plurality of reading properties and a reading transparency is used, and the inventory includes the identification information supplementing media collectively for a plurality of the articles included in a predetermined reading unit. According to the reading process, the process of creating the read data from the read result in the process, the process of evaluating the read data by a predetermined method based on the inventory management data before the start of the inventory, and the evaluation result in the process A method of inventory management comprising the step of correcting the inventory management data.   2. The inventory management method according to claim 1, wherein an IC tag is used as the identification information-accompanying medium having a plurality of reading properties and reading transparency. An inventory management system for executing the inventory management method according to claim 1,
Reading means for collectively reading the plurality of articles included in a predetermined reading unit of the identification information-accompanying medium having the reading plurality and reading transparency, and creating read data from the result read by the reading means, An inventory management system comprising a data processing device that evaluates read data by a predetermined method based on inventory management data before the start of inventory, and further corrects the inventory management data according to the evaluation result . The inventory management system according to claim 3, wherein the identification information-accompanying medium is an IC tag.

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