Distribution management system, distribution management method, and program

• US 20030046192A1
• Filed: 02/21/2002
• Published: 03/06/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Renesas Technology Corporation (Renesas Electronics Corporation), Ryoden Semiconductor System Engineering Corporation
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Inventors: Inui, Toshiharu, Tsuchiya, Kazuhiko, Shirouzu, Ryoji, Fujii, Takayuki, Eguchi, Koji
• Application Number:
  US10/078,468
• Publication Number:
  US 20030046192A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/28
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders

Abstract

A distribution management system in which a host server and portable terminals are arranged in such a manner as to be able to exchange information with each other. The host server has a section for receiving information relating to distribution from each of the portable terminals, and a section for transmitting, to each of the portable terminals, predetermined information such as information indicating a distribution state or history of a distribution article. This makes it possible to transmit, in real time, predetermined information such as information indicating a distribution state or history of a distribution article from the host server to a transmission source portable terminal.

Claims

1. A distribution management system in which a host server for managing distribution and portable terminals are arranged in such a manner as to be able to exchange information with each other, wherein said host server comprises:

means for receiving information relating to distribution from each of said portable terminals; and

means for transmitting, to each of said portable terminals, predetermined information that is one of kinds of information including individual information on a distribution article, information relating to a process to be executed on said distribution article, and information relating to an apparatus for processing said distribution article.

2. The distribution management system according to claim 1, wherein each of said portable terminals comprises:

means for acquiring said information relating to distribution;

means for transmitting said information relating to distribution to said host server;

means for receiving said predetermined information from said host server; and

means for displaying said predetermined information.

3. The distribution management system according to claim 2, wherein said information relating to distribution is identification information representing a type of said distribution article.

4. The distribution management system according to claim 3, wherein each of said portable terminals further comprises bar code reading means, and wherein said bar code reading means acquires said identification information from a bar code that is attached to said distribution article.

5. The distribution management system according to claim 1, wherein said information relating to an apparatus for processing said distribution article includes information necessary to recover an apparatus where an abnormality has occurred.

6. The distribution management system according to claim 1, wherein said information relating to distribution is information relating to a member that is used for manufacture of said distribution article.

7. The distribution management system according to claim 6, wherein said host server further comprises means for managing a stock of said member based on said information relating to the member.

8. The distribution management system according to claim 1, wherein said information relating to distribution includes information relating to different operators who use the same portable terminal.

9. A distribution management method comprising the steps of:

a portable terminal'"'"'s acquiring information relating to distribution;

said portable terminal'"'"'s transmitting the information relating to distribution to a host server;

said host server'"'"'s transmitting, to said portable terminal, predetermined information that is one of kinds of information including individual information on a distribution article, information relating to a process to be executed on said distribution article, and information relating to an apparatus for processing said distribution article; and

said portable terminal'"'"'s displaying said predetermined information.

10. The distribution management method according to claim 9, wherein said information relating to distribution is identification information representing a type of said distribution article.

11. The distribution management method according to claim 9, wherein the acquiring step is said portable terminal'"'"'s acquiring said identification information from a bar code that is attached to said distribution article.

12. The distribution management method according to claim 9, wherein said information relating to an apparatus for processing said distribution article includes information necessary to recover an apparatus where an abnormality has occurred.

13. The distribution management method according to claim 9, wherein said information relating to distribution is information relating to a member that is used for manufacture of said distribution article.

14. The distribution management method according to claim 13, further comprising the step of said host server'"'"'s managing a stock of the member based on said information relating to the member.

15. The distribution management method according to claim 9, wherein said information relating to distribution includes information relating to different operators who use the same portable terminal.

16. A program for transmitting predetermined information to a portable terminal, the program causing a computer to function as:

means for receiving information relating to distribution from the portable terminal; and

means for transmitting, to the portable terminal, predetermined information that is one of kinds of information including individual information on a distribution article, information relating to a process to be executed on said distribution article, and information relating to an apparatus for processing said distribution article.

17. The program according to claim 16, wherein the program further includes a program for causing the computer to function as means for receiving identification information representing a type of said distribution article.

18. The program according to claim 16, wherein the program further includes a program for causing the computer to function as means for transmitting information necessary to recover an apparatus where an abnormality has occurred.

19. The program according to claim 16, wherein the program further includes a program for causing the computer to function as means for receiving information relating to a member that is used for manufacture of said distribution article.

20. The program according to claim 19, wherein the program further includes a program for causing the computer to function as means for managing a stock of said member based on said information relating to the member.