Store Management System, Stone Control Device, Store Control Method, Management Server, Management Method and Program

• US 20080195237A1
• Filed: 01/06/2006
• Published: 08/14/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Omron Corporation
• Original Assignee: Omron Corporation
• Inventors: Mukaigawa, Shinichi, Sano, Kimihiko
• Application Number:
  US11/794,684
• Publication Number:
  US 20080195237A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/90
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/30 for purposes related to the operation of the system, e.g. for safety or monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/46 Improving electric energy efficiency or saving
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/52 Indication arrangements, e.g. displays
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/64 using pre-stored data
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/00 Control inputs relating to air properties
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 13/048 using a predictor
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling

Abstract

An object of the invention is to efficiently and stably manage machines provided in a store.

A sensor 1 measures environmental information. A management server 11 stores the environmental information in a storage unit not shown. The management server 11 predicts environmental information after a predetermined time from the present time on the environmental information stored in the storage unit, and determines advance control operations for the machines on the basis of the predicted environmental information. The management server 11 generates announce information and machine control information for directly controlling the machine 23 on the basis of the control information for machine as the determination result and transmits them to the store 2. A control unit 22 allows a display unit or a sound output unit (not shown) to announce instruction information for coping with the predicted environmental information to employees of the store 2, and controls the operation of the machine 23 on the basis of the machine control information.

Claims

1. A store management system comprising:

a store control device for controlling a machine provided in a store; and

a management server for managing the machine,

wherein the store control device includes;

environmental information acquiring means for acquiring environmental information of the store; and

first transmission means for transmitting the environmental information to the management server,

wherein the management server includes;

second reception means for receiving the environmental information transmitted from the store control device;

storage means for storing the environmental information;

prediction means for predicting the environmental information after a predetermined time on the basis of the environmental information stored in the storage means;

machine control information generating means for generating machine control information for controlling the machine on the basis of the environmental information after the predetermined time, which is predicted by the prediction means; and

second transmission means for transmitting the machine control information to the store control device, and

wherein the store control device further includes;

first reception means for receiving the machine control information; and

control means for controlling the machine on the basis of the machine control information.

2. A store control device for controlling a machine prepared in a store, the store control device comprising:

environmental information acquiring means for acquiring environmental information of the store;

transmission means for transmitting the environmental information to a management server;

reception means for receiving machine control information of the machine, generated on the basis of the environmental information after a predetermined time, which is predicted by the management server; and

control means for controlling the machine on the basis of the machine control information.

3. The store control device according to claim 2, wherein the environmental information includes at least one of the in-store illuminance, the out-store illuminance, the refrigerator temperature, the refrigerator opening and closing frequency, the number of customers, the in-store temperature, the out-store temperature, the in-store humidity, the out-store humidity and the power consumption of the machine.

4. The store control device according to claim 2, wherein the machine includes at least one of an illumination lamp, a refrigerator, and an air conditioner.

5. A store control method of controlling a machine provided in a store, the method comprising the steps of:

acquiring environmental information of the store;

transmitting the environmental information to a management server;

receiving machine control information of the machine, generated on the basis of the environmental information after a predetermined time, which is predicted by the management server; and

controlling the machine on the basis of the machine control information.

6. A program for allowing a computer to execute a process of controlling a store control device for controlling a machine provided in a store, the process comprising the steps of:

acquiring environmental information of the store;

transmitting the environmental information to a management server;

receiving machine control information of the machine, generated on the basis of the environmental information after a predetermined time, which is predicted by the management server; and

controlling the machine on the basis of the machine control information.

7. A management server for managing a machine provided in a store, the management server comprising:

reception means for receiving environmental information of the store transmitted from the store;

storage means for storing the environmental information;

prediction means for predicting the environmental information after a predetermined time on the basis of the environmental information stored in the storage means;

machine control information generating means for generating machine control information for controlling the machine on the basis of the environmental information after a predetermined time, which is predicted by the prediction means; and

transmission means for transmitting the machine control information to the store.

8. The management server according to claim 7, wherein the environmental information includes at least one of the in-store illuminance, the out-store illuminance, the refrigerator temperature, the refrigerator opening and closing frequency, the number of customers, the in-store temperature, the out-store temperature, the in-store humidity, the out-store humidity and the power consumption of the machine.

9. The management server according to claim 7, wherein the machine includes at least one of an illumination lamp, a refrigerator, and an air conditioner.

10. The management server according to claim 8, wherein the prediction means predicts the out-store illuminance as the environmental information after the predetermined time, on the basis of the out-store illuminance included in the environmental information stored in the storage means, and

wherein the machine control information generating means generates the machine control information for controlling the illumination lamp included in the machine, on the basis of the out-store illuminance predicted by the prediction means.

11. The management server according to claim 8, wherein the prediction means predicts the refrigerator temperature as the environmental information after the predetermined time, on the basis of the refrigerator temperature, the number of customers and the refrigerator opening and closing frequency included in the environmental information stored in the storage means, and

wherein the machine control information generating means generates the machine control information for controlling the refrigerator included in the machine, on the basis of the refrigerator temperature predicted by the prediction means.

12. The management server according to claim 8, wherein the prediction means predicts the out-store temperature as the environmental information after the predetermined time, on the basis of the out-store temperature included in the environmental information stored in the storage means, and

wherein the machine control information generating means generates the machine control information for controlling the air conditioner included in the machine, on the basis of the out-store temperature predicted by the prediction means.

13. The management server according to claim 8, wherein the prediction means predicts an in-store temperature-humidity index and an out-store temperature-humidity index as the environmental information after the predetermined time, on the basis of the in-store temperature, the out-store temperature, the in-store humidity and the out-store humidity included in the environmental information stored in the storage means, and

wherein the machine control information generating means generates the machine control information for controlling the air conditioner included in the machine, on the basis of the comparison result between a predetermined threshold value and an absolute value of a difference between the in-store temperature-humidity index and the out-store temperature-humidity index predicted by the prediction means.

14. A management method of a management server for managing a machine provided in a store, the management method comprising the steps of:

receiving environmental information of the store transmitted from the store;

storing the environmental information;

predicting the environmental information after a predetermined time on the basis of the environmental information stored in the storing step;

generating machine control information for controlling the machine on the basis of the environmental information after the predetermined time, which is predicted in the predicting step; and

transmitting the machine control information to the store.

15. A program for allowing a computer to execute a process of controlling a management server for managing a machine provided in a store, the operation comprising the steps of:

receiving environmental information of the store transmitted from the store;

storing the environmental information;

predicting the environmental information after a predetermined time on the basis of the environmental information stored in the storing step;

generating machine control information for controlling the machine on the basis of the environmental information after the predetermined time, predicted in the predicting step; and

transmitting the machine control information to the store.