Information management system, information processing apparatus and method, recording medium, and program

• US 20030047600A1
• Filed: 08/13/2002
• Published: 03/13/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/14/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Takano, Hiroaki, Takeuchi, Hiroshi, Nakanishi, Toshiaki, Isogai, Mitsuhiro
• Granted Patent: US 7,044,379 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/380
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/60 for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/20 for the management or administration of healthcare resources or facilities, e.g. managing hospital staff or surgery rooms

Abstract

In an information management system, a patient operates a button of an identification number issuing apparatus installed in the reception area in a hospital and receives a ticket from a ticket slot. The ticket has the patient'"'"'s identification number printed thereon. Having received the ticket, the patient moves to a photograph booth, operates an identification number input panel to input the identification number printed on the ticket, and takes a photograph of the patient'"'"'s upper body. The patient receives a photograph/bar code sheet ejected from the photograph booth. Four pairs including photographs and bar codes, which are vertically arranged so as to be associated with each other, are printed on the photograph/bar code sheet. Having received the photograph/bar code sheet, the patient moves to the reception and submits the photograph/bar code sheet and a health insurance card to an attendant at the reception.

Claims

1. An information management system comprising a first apparatus and a second apparatus, wherein:

the first apparatus comprises issuing means for issuing identification information of a specific person; and

the second apparatus comprises;

obtaining means for obtaining the identification information issued by the issuing means of the first apparatus;

image capturing means for capturing an image of the specific person; and

output means for associating, in order to manage management information for the specific person, the identification information obtained by the obtaining means with an image corresponding to image data obtained as a result of capturing the image by the image capturing means and for outputting the identification information and the image.

2. An information management system according to claim 1, further comprising a third apparatus, wherein the third apparatus comprises:

reading means for reading the identification information and the image, which are output from the output means of the second apparatus and which are associated with each other; and

creation means for creating a document describing the management information, the document having the identification information and the image read by the reading means printed thereon.

3. An information management system according to claim 2, wherein:

the first apparatus further comprises storage means for storing the identification information in a portable storage unit;

the obtaining means of the second apparatus obtains the identification information from the storage unit;

the image capturing means of the second apparatus stores the image data obtained as a result of capturing the image in the storage unit; and

the reading means of the third apparatus reads the identification information and the image data from the storage unit.

4. An information management system according to claim 1, wherein the output means of the second apparatus prints, on a sheet, at least one pair including a code representing the identification information and the image corresponding to the image data, the code and the image being disposed so as to be associated with each other, and outputs the sheet.

5. An information management system according to claim 4, wherein the code is a one-dimensional bar code or a two-dimensional bar code.

6. An information management system according to claim 1, wherein the output means of the second apparatus outputs a pair including a code representing the identification information and the image corresponding to the image data, the code and the image being disposed so as to be associated with each other, to a recording medium and stores the pair in the recording medium.

7. An information management system according to claim 1, wherein:

the first apparatus further comprises presenting means for presenting the identification information to the specific person;

the second apparatus further comprises input means for inputting the identification information; and

the obtaining means of the second apparatus obtains the identification information from the input means.

8. An information management system according to claim 7, wherein the presenting means of the first apparatus issues a ticket on which the identification information is written or displays the identification information on a display unit.

9. An information management system according to claim 1, wherein:

the first apparatus further comprises storage means for storing the identification information in a portable storage unit; and

the obtaining means of the second apparatus obtains the identification information from the storage unit.

10. An information management system according to claim 1, wherein:

the first apparatus further comprises input means for inputting personal information on the specific person; and

the issuing means issues the identification information associated with the personal information.

11. An information processing apparatus comprising:

obtaining means for obtaining issued identification information of a specific person;

image capturing means for capturing an image of the specific person; and

output means for associating, in order to manage management information for the specific person, the identification information obtained by the obtaining means with an image corresponding to image data obtained as a result of capturing the image by the image capturing means and for outputting the identification information and the image.

12. An information processing apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the output means prints, on a sheet, at least one pair including a code representing the identification information and the image corresponding to the image data, the code and the image being disposed so as to be associated with each other, and outputs the sheet.

13. An information processing apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the code is a one-dimensional bar code or a two-dimensional bar code.

14. An information processing apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the output means outputs a pair including a code representing the identification information and the image corresponding to the image data, the code and the image being disposed so as to be associated with each other, to a recording medium and stores the pair in the recording medium.

15. An information processing method comprising:

an obtaining step of obtaining issued identification information of a specific person;

an image capturing step of capturing an image of the specific person; and

an output step of associating, in order to manage management information for the specific person, the identification information obtained in the obtaining step with an image corresponding to image data obtained as a result of capturing the image in the image capturing step and outputting the identification information and the image.

16. A recording medium having a computer-readable program recorded therein, the program comprising:

an obtaining control step of controlling obtaining issued identification information of a specific person;

an image capturing control step of controlling capturing an image of the specific person; and

an output control step of controlling associating, in order to manage management information for the specific person, the identification information obtained in the obtaining control step with an image corresponding to image data obtained as a result of capturing the image in the image capturing control step and outputting the identification information and the image.

17. A program for causing a computer to perform the following steps, comprising:

an obtaining control step of controlling obtaining issued identification information of a specific person;

an image capturing control step of controlling capturing an image of the specific person; and

an output control step of controlling associating, in order to manage management information for the specific person, the identification information obtained in the obtaining control step with an image corresponding to image data obtained as a result of capturing the image in the image capturing control step and outputting the identification information and the image.