Transportation management system, transportation management method, communication sheet, and communication antenna

• US 20060059193A1
• Filed: 09/02/2005
• Published: 03/16/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Kawashima, Hideki, Sakurai, Hideo, Noji, Tetsuo, Sugiyama, Yoshihiro, Kutami, Atsushi, Hamada, Wakoh, Saitoh, Tatsuro
• Granted Patent: US 7,593,737 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4183 characterised by data acquisition, e.g. workpiece identification
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]

Abstract

A disclosed transportation management system includes a database including operational information and operator information that correspond to a target object, a transmission control part for transmitting a transmission radio wave to an information storage medium attached to the target object and a reception control part for receiving a reception radio wave, including identification information of the target object, from the information storage medium, a transport information obtaining part for obtaining transport information of the target object, an operational information retrieving part for retrieving the operational information from the database in accordance with the identification information of the target object, an information comparing part for comparing the transport information of the target object and the operational information, a notification information generating part for generating notification information indicative of the result of the comparison; and a notification information transmitting part for transmitting the notification information in accordance with the operator information.

Claims

1. A transportation management system for managing transportation of a target object with an attached information storage medium, the transportation management system comprising:

a database including operational information and operator information that correspond to the target object;

a communication apparatus including

a transmission control part for transmitting a transmission radio wave to the information storage medium attached to the target object and

a reception control part for receiving a reception radio wave, including identification information of the target object, from the information storage medium in response to the transmitted transmission radio wave;

a transport information obtaining part for obtaining transport information of the target object when the target object is transported to a predetermined area;

an operational information retrieving part for retrieving the operational information corresponding to the target object from the database in accordance with the identification information of the target object;

an information comparing part for comparing the transport information of the target object and the operational information corresponding to the target object;

a notification information generating part for generating notification information indicative of the result of the comparison; and

a notification information transmitting part for transmitting the notification information to a predetermined destination in accordance with the operator information corresponding to the target object.

2. The transportation management system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the communication apparatus is detachably attached to a sheet member, wherein the sheet member is configured to sway when the target object contacts the sheet member.

3. The transportation management system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the sheet member is shaped as a split curtain, wherein the sheet member includes a pouch part for removably installing the communication apparatus therein.

4. The transportation management system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the communication apparatus further includes an output part for determining the state of the transmission radio wave and the reception radio wave and outputting the result of the determination.

5. The transportation management system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the database further includes setting information corresponding to the target object and the transportation of the target object, wherein the communication apparatus further includes a modulating part for modulating the frequency of the transmission radio wave in accordance with the setting information, wherein the transmission radio wave with the modulated frequency is transmitted at a predetermined timing by the transmission control part.

10. A communication sheet comprising:

the communication apparatus and the sheet member of claim 2.

6. A transportation management system for managing transportation of a target object with an attached information storage medium including a rewritable display area that displays visible information, the transportation management system comprising:

a database including operational information and operator information that correspond to the target object;

a communication apparatus including

a transmission control part for transmitting a transmission radio wave to the information storage medium attached to the target object and

a reception control part for receiving a reception radio wave, including identification information of the target object, from the information storage medium in response to the transmitted transmission radio wave;

a transport information obtaining part for obtaining transport information of the target-object when the target object is transported to a predetermined area;

an operational information retrieving part for retrieving the operational information corresponding to the target object from the database in accordance with the identification information of the target object;

an information comparing part for comparing the transport information of the target object and the operational information corresponding to the target object;

a notification information generating part for generating notification information indicative of the result of the comparison;

a notification information transmitting part for transmitting the notification information;

a rewriting apparatus for rewriting the visible information displayed in the rewritable display area of the information storage medium; and

a computing apparatus for instructing the rewriting apparatus that the visible information be displayed in the rewritable display area of the information storage medium in accordance with the notification information transmitted from the notification information transmitting part.

7. A transportation management method for managing transportation of a target object with an attached information storage medium, the transportation management method comprising the steps of:

transmitting a transmission radio wave to the information storage medium attached to the target object;

receiving a reception radio wave, including identification information of the target object, from the information storage medium in response to the transmitted transmission radio wave;

obtaining transport information of the target object when the target object is transported to a predetermined area;

retrieving operational information corresponding to the target object in accordance with the identification information of the target object;

comparing the transport information of the target object and the operational information corresponding to the target object;

generating notification information indicative of the result of the comparison;

retrieving operator information corresponding to the target object; and

transmitting the notification information to a predetermined destination in accordance with the operator information corresponding to the target object.

8. The transportation management method as claimed in claim 7, further comprising the steps of:

determining the state of the transmission radio wave and the reception radio wave; and

outputting the result of the determination.

9. The transportation management method as claimed in claim 7, further comprising the steps of:

retrieving setting information corresponding to the target object and the transportation of the target object; and

modulating the frequency of the transmission radio wave in accordance with the setting information;

wherein the transmission radio wave with the modulated frequency is transmitted at a predetermined timing by the transmission control part.

11. A communication antenna comprising:

a terminal part for transmitting and receiving radio waves for communicating with an information storage medium attached to a target object.