Handling support method and handling support system

• US 20030105853A1
• Filed: 11/27/2002
• Published: 06/05/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Asai, Shyojiro, Fukuzawa, Yasuko, Takaragi, Kazuo, Morito, Hajime
• Granted Patent: US 7,138,915 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management

Abstract

In a handling support method for supporting handling of an object, a distributed system including at least one attribute information management server for managing attribute information of an object in correspondence with identification information given to the object, at least one identification information management server for managing the attribute information management server in correspondence with the identification information, and at least one supporting server for supporting handling of the object in accordance with the attribute information is connected to a user terminal over a network. Then, based on identification information obtained by the user terminal, the identification information management server specifies an address of the attribute information management server for managing attribute information of the object to which the identification information is given. The attribute information management server specifies attribute information of the object to which the identification information is given. And the supporting server creates and notifies to the user terminal, support information relating to handling in accordance with the object attribute information specified by the attribute information management server.

Claims

1. A handling support method for supporting handling of an object, comprising the steps of:

connecting, to a user terminal over a network, a distribution system including at least one attribute information management server for managing attribute information of an object in correspondence with identification information given to the object, at least one identification information management server for managing the attribute information management server in correspondence with the identification information, and at least one supporting server for supporting handling of the object in accordance with the attribute information;

based on identification information obtained by the user terminal, specifying, by the identification information management server, an address of the attribute information management server for managing attribute information of the object to which the identification information is given;

specifying, by the attribute information management server, attribute information of the object to which the identification information is given; and

creating and notifying to the user terminal, by the supporting server, support information relating to handling in accordance with the object attribute information specified by the attribute information management server.

2. A handling support method according to claim 1, in which the supporting server manages a history of handling the object for each user and manages a handling rule for each attribute information of the object, comprising:

a first step of, in the user terminal, obtaining identification information given to the object and notifying the information to the identification information management server;

a second step of, in the identification information management server, specifying the attribute information management server corresponding to the identification information notified by the user terminal and notifying the address to the user terminal;

a third steps of, in the user terminal, notifying the object identification information obtained in the first step, along with the user identification information, to the attribute information management server having the address notified by the identification information management server;

a fourth step of, in the attribute information management server, specifying object attribute information corresponding to the object identification information notified by the user terminal and notifying the information to the supporting server along with the user identification information notified by the user terminal; and

a fifth step of, in the supporting server, creating a message regarding handling of the object by using the object handling history corresponding to the user identification information notified by the attribute information management server and the handling rule prepared in advance for the object attribute information notified by the attribute information management server and notifying the message to the user terminal.

3. A handling support method according to claim 2, in which the user terminal has a position identifying function for identifying a current position of an object whose identification information is obtained and a location table in which an estimated action of the user is registered for each location, comprising:

the third step of, in the user terminal, notifying to the attribute information management server having the address notified by the identification information management server in case that the estimated action registered in the location table in correspondence with a location to which the object current position identified by the position identifying function is a predetermined estimated action.

4. A handling support method according to claim 2, in which the user terminal has a time measuring function for measuring a current time and a context table in which an estimated action of the user is registered for each time period, comprising:

the third step of, in the user terminal, notifying to the attribute information management server having the address notified by the identification information management server in case that the estimated action registered in the context table in correspondence with a time period including the current time measured by the time measuring function is a predetermined estimated action.

5. A handling support method according to claim 2,

wherein the object is an object taken to a body, and

wherein the message is a message calling attention to an object intake action.

6. A handling support method according to claim 1, in which the supporting server manages a history of moving each object and manages a handling rule for each attribute information of the object, comprising:

a first step of, in the user terminal, obtaining identification information given to the object and notifying the information to the identification information management server;

a second step of, in the identification information management server, specifying the attribute information management server corresponding to the identification information notified by the user terminal and notifying the address to the user terminal;

a third steps of, in the user terminal, notifying the object identification information obtained in the first step to the attribute information management server having the address notified by the identification information management server;

a fourth step of, in the attribute information management server, specifying object attribute information corresponding to the object identification information notified by the user terminal and notifying the information along with the user identification information to the supporting server; and

a fifth step of, in the supporting server, specifying a message regarding the object handling by using handling history of the object corresponding to the object identification information notified by the attribute information management server and the handling rule prepared in advance for the object attribute information notified by the attribute information management server and notifying the message to the user terminal.

7. A handling support method according to claim 6,

wherein the object is a distributed item, and

wherein the message is a message calling attention to an item distribution action.

8. A handling support method according to claim 6,

wherein the object is a ticket, and

wherein the message is a message calling attention to a use action by an object owner.

9. A handling support method according to claim 1, in which the supporting server manages a change in location of each object, comprising:

a first step of, in the user terminal, obtaining identification information of each object accommodated in a container and notifying the information along with identification information of the container to the supporting server;

a second step of, in the supporting server, updating a location of each object based on the identification information of each object and the identification information of the container, which are notified by the user terminal;

a third steps of, in the supporting server, receiving a location tracking request including the object identification information from the user terminal and then notifying the object identification information to the identification information management server;

a fourth step of, in the identification information management server, specifying the attribute information management server corresponding to the identification information notified by the supporting server and notifying the address to the supporting server;

a fifth step of, in the supporting server, notifying the object identification information included in the location tracking request to the attribute information management server having an address notified by the identification information management server;

a sixth steps of, in the attribute information management server, specifying object attribute information corresponding to the object identification information notified by the supporting server and notifying the information to the supporting server;

a seventh step of, in the supporting server, creating information including a change in location managed in correspondence with the object identification information included in the location tracking request and the object attribute information notified by the attribute information management server and notifying the information to the user terminal.

10. A handling support method according to claim 9, comprising:

when, in the supporting server, an accommodated content checking request including identification information of a container is received from the user terminal,

the third step of, in the supporting server, specifying identification information of each object set in a container whose current location is identified by the identification information and notifying the information to the identification information management server;

the fifth step, in the supporting server, notifying the specified object identification information to each of the attribute information management server having an address notified by the identification information management server; and

the seventh step, in the supporting server, creating information including each object attribute information notified by the attribute information management server and notifying the information to the user terminal.

11. A handling support method according to claim 2, in which a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) electronic circuit chip storing identification information given to an object is attached to a container of the object, an attachment of the object, or the object itself, comprising:

the first step of causing an RFID reading device having a function for communicating with the user terminal to read the identification information from the RFID electronic circuit chip existing in a receivable radio area and to send the information to the user terminal.

12. A handling support method according to claim 11, in which the RFID electronic circuit chip holds identification information along with authentication information of the identification information, comprising:

the first step causing the RFID reading device to read the identification information along with the authentication information from the RFID electronic circuit chip existing in the receivable radio area and to send them to the user terminal and causing the user terminal authenticate the identification information by using the authentication information and, if the authentication is satisfied, notifying the identification information to the identification information management server.

13. A handling support method according to claim 11,

wherein the RFID electronic chip has an unrewritable memory area for storing information in the area.

14. A handling support system for supporting handling of an object, comprising:

at least one attribute information management server for managing attribute information of an object in correspondence with identification information given to the object;

at least one identification information management server for managing the attribute information management server in correspondence with the identification information;

at least one supporting server for supporting handling of the object in accordance with the attribute information; and

a user terminal connecting to the respective servers over a network,

wherein the user terminal has;

identification information obtaining means for obtaining identification information given to the object;

identification information notifying means for notifying the obtained identification information to the identification information management server, obtaining an address of the attribute information management server for managing the object attribute information from the identification information management server and notifying the identification information along with identification information of a user to the attribute information management server having the obtained address; and

support information notifying means for receiving, from the supporting server, support information relating to handling in accordance with the object attribute information specified by the attribute information management server and notifying the information to the user,

wherein, when the object identification information from the user terminal is received, the identification information management server specifies the attribute information management server for managing in correspondence with the identification information and notifies the address to the user terminal,

wherein, when the object identification information and the user identification information is received from the user terminal, the attribute information management server specifies object attribute information managed in correspondence with the object identification information and notifies the information along with the user identification information to the supporting server, and

wherein the supporting server has a history management database for managing an object handling history for each user and a rule management database for managing a handling rule for each object attribute information, specifies a message regarding the object handling by using the object handling history corresponding to the user identification information notified by the attribute information management server and a handling rule prepared in advance for the object attribute information notified by the attribute information management server and notifies the message to the user terminal.

17. A handling support system according to claim 14, further comprising a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) electronic circuit chip storing identification information given to the object, which is attached to a container of the object, an attachment or the object itself and an RFID reading device including a function for communicating with the user terminal,

wherein the identification information obtaining means of the user terminal obtains, from the RFID reading device through communication, identification information read by the RFID reading device from the RFID electronic circuit chip existing in a receivable radio area.

15. A handling support system for supporting handling of an object, comprising:

at least one attribute information management server for managing attribute information of an object in correspondence with identification information given to the object;

at least one identification information management server for managing the attribute information management server in correspondence with the identification information;

at least one supporting server for supporting handling of the object in accordance with the attribute information; and

a user terminal connecting to the respective servers over a network,

wherein the user terminal has;

identification information obtaining means for obtaining identification information given to the object;

identification information notifying means fur notifying the obtained identification information to the identification information management server, obtaining an address of the attribute information management server for managing the object attribute information from the identification information management server and notifying the identification information to the attribute information management server having the obtained address; and

support information notifying means for receiving, from the supporting server, support information relating to handling in accordance with the object attribute information specified by the attribute information management server and notifying the information to the user,

wherein, when the object identification information is received from the user terminal, the identification information management server specifies the attribute information management server for managing in correspondence with the identification information and notifies the address to the user terminal,

wherein, in response to receipt of the object identification information is received from the user terminal, the attribute information management server specifies object attribute information managed in correspondence with the object identification information and notifies the information along with the identification information to the supporting server, and

wherein the supporting server has a history management database for managing a history of moving each object and a rule management database for managing a handling rule for each object attribute information, specifies a message regarding the object handling by using the object handling history corresponding to the object identification information notified by the attribute information management server and a handling rule prepared in advance for the object attribute information notified by the attribute information management server and notifies the message to the user terminal.

16. A handling support system for supporting handling of an object, comprising:

at least one attribute information management server for managing attribute information of an object in correspondence with identification information given to the object;

at least one identification information management server for managing the attribute information management server in correspondence with the identification information;

at least one supporting server for supporting handling of the object in accordance with the attribute information; and

a user terminal connecting to the respective servers over a network,

wherein the user terminal has;

identification information obtaining means for obtaining identification information given to each object accommodated in a container;

identification information notifying means for notifying the obtained object identification information along with identification information of the container to the supporting server;

a request notifying means for notifying a location tracking request including object identification information or a content checking request including container identification information to the supporting server; and

support information notifying means for receiving, from the supporting server, support information relating to handling of the object and notifying the information to the user,

wherein, when the object identification information is received from the supporting server, the identification information management server specifies the attribute information management server for managing in correspondence the with the identification information and notifies the address to the supporting server,

wherein the attribute information management server notifies to the supporting server the object attribute information managed in correspondence with the object identification information received from the supporting server,

wherein the supporting server;

has a location management database for managing a change in location of each object;

in response to notification of object identification information and container identification information is received from the user terminal, updates the location of the object managed in the location management database based on these kinds of information;

when a location tracking request including object identification information is received from the user terminal, obtains an address of the attribute information management server by notifying the object identification information to the identification information management server, obtains the object attribute information by notifying the object identification information to the attribute information management server having the obtained address, creates information including the attribute information and the change in location managed in correspondence with the object identification information and notifies the information to the user terminal; and

when a content checking request including identification information of a container is received from the user terminal, specifies each object identification information set to the container whose current location is identified by the container identification information, obtaining an address of the attribute information management server by notifying the information to the identification information management server, obtains the object attribute information by notifying the each object identification information to the attribute information management server having the obtained address, creates information including the attribute information and notifies the information to the user terminal.