SENSOR INFORMATION MANAGEMENT SYSTEM AND SENSOR INFORMATION MANAGEMENT METHOD

• US 20110246506A1
• Filed: 02/04/2011
• Published: 10/06/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/06/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: HONZAWA, Atsushi, KOMAKI, Daisuke, NAKANO, Michiki
• Application Number:
  US13/021,209
• Publication Number:
  US 20110246506A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/769
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management

Abstract

An object of the present invention is to manage various containment relationships such as packing relationships and loading relationships of an article, to efficiently search for sensor information measured by a sensor associated with the article, and thereby to provide the sensor information to the user. A system 100 includes a relationship information registration part 1001 and a sensor information searching part 1002. The relationship information registration part 1001: registers relationship information in a relationship information table; searches a root information table by using as a key a lower layer identifier in paired identifiers shown by the relationship information to find a dependent identifier having the lower layer identifier as an upper layer identifier thereof; searches the root information table by using as a key an upper layer identifier in the paired identifiers to find corresponding root information; and registers the found root information as root information of the dependent identifier in the root information table. The sensor information searching part 1002: receives, from an external terminal or the like, a reference request for sensor information of a transport objector transportation unit; obtains, from the root information table, an identifier located at the highest position in all the relationships with the transport object or transportation unit; obtains, from the sensor information table, sensor information by using the obtained identifier as a key; and outputs, to the external terminal or the like, the sensor information as sensor information of the transport object or transportation unit.

Claims

1. A sensor information management system which is a computer system for managing sensor information measured by a sensor, the sensor information management system comprising:

a storage unit in which a relationship information table, a root information table and a sensor information table are stored,

the relationship information table being configured to hold relationship information on one of packing and loading relationship and an installation relationship between a transport object, a transportation unit capable of packing, loading or transporting the transport object, and a sensor installed on one of the transport object and the transportation unit, the relationship information including information on a hierarchy of identifiers associated with respective objects establishing the relationship,

the root information table being configured to hold root information on each upper layer and lower layer identifier pair establishing one of the packing and loading relationship and the installation relationship, an identifier at the highest layer in one of the packing and loading relationship and the installation relationship being taken as the upper layer identifier and set as the root information, and

the sensor information table being configured to hold an identifier of the sensor and a history of sensor information measured by the sensor associated with the identifier;

a relationship information registration part configured to receive, upon occurrence of a change in one of the packing and loading relationship and the installation relationship, the relationship information on one of the packing and loading relationship and the installation relationship in which the change has occurred, from one of an input unit and an external terminal via a communication unit, register the relationship information into the relationship information table, perform a search on the root information table using a key the lower layer identifier in the pair of identifiers indicated by the received relationship information a key, specify a dependant identifier having the lower layer identifier as an upper layer identifier thereof, specify corresponding root information by performing a search on the root information table using the upper layer identifier in the pair of identifiers as a key, and register the specified root information into the root information table as root information of the dependent identifier; and

a sensor information searching part configured to receive a reference request for sensor information corresponding to one of a certain transport object and a certain transportation unit, the reference request being received from one of the input unit and the external terminal via the communication unit, obtain an identifier located at the highest layer among identifiers related with the transport object or the transportation unit, the identifier being obtained from the root information table, obtain the sensor information from the sensor information table with the obtained identifier being a key, and output the sensor information as the sensor information on one of the transport object and the transportation unit to one of an output unit or the external terminal via the communication unit.

2. The sensor information management system according to claim 1, wherein

the relationship information table in the storage unit is configured to hold the relationship information on one of the packing and loading relationship and the installation relationship between the transport object, the transportation unit capable of packing, loading and transporting the transport object, and the sensor installed on the transport object or the transportation unit, the relationship information including the information on the hierarchy of the identifiers associated with the respective objects establishing the relationship and relationship type information indicating a content of the each of the relationships, and

the relationship information registration part performs a search on the relationship information table for the lower layer identifier and the upper layer identifier included in the relationship information to be registered, determines whether or not any of the lower layer identifier and the upper layer identifier has an installation relationship with the sensor on the basis of the relationship type information obtained by the search, and, for the identifier which has been determined as being installed with the sensor, performs a registration process into the relationship information table with the relationship information in which the identifier is replaced with an identifier of the sensor.

3. The sensor information management system according to claim 1, wherein

the relationship information table in the storage unit is configured to hold the relationship information on one of the packing and loading relationship and the installation relationship between the transport object, the transportation unit capable of packing, loading or transporting the transport object, and the sensor installed on one of the transport object and the transportation unit, the relationship information including the information on the hierarchy of the identifiers associated with the respective objects establishing the relationship, the relationship type information indicating a content of the each of the relationships, and relationship period information indicating a time period during which the relationship is maintained,

and wherein the root information table in the storage unit is configured to hold root information on the each upper layer and lower layer identifier pair establishing one of the packing and loading relationship and the installation relationship, the identifier at the highest layer in one of the packing and loading relationship and the installation relationship being taken as the upper layer identifier and set as the root information, the root information table including the relationship period information indicating the period during which the relationship is maintained,

the relationship information registration part being configured to

receive the relationship information on one of the packing and loading relationship and the installation relationship in which the change has occurred, and

in a case where the relationship type information in the relationship information indicates attachment, such as packing, loading or containment, of an object having the lower layer identifier to an object having the upper layer identifier,

perform a search on the relationship information table using the lower layer identifier as a key to specify a dependent identifier having the lower layer identifier as an upper layer identifier thereof,

update, for the lower layer identifier and the dependent identifier, a relationship end date and time indicated by the relationship period information in the root information table with a date and time of the attachment indicated by the relationship information,

perform a search on the root information table using the upper layer identifier as a key to specify corresponding root information, and

register the thus specified root information into the root information table as the root information for the lower layer identifier and the dependent identifier.

4. The sensor information management system according to claim 1, wherein

the relationship information table in the storage unit is configured to hold the relationship information on one of the packing and loading relationship and the installation relationship between the transport object, the transportation unit capable of packing, loading or transporting the transport object, and the sensor installed on one of the transport object and the transportation unit, the relationship information including the information on the hierarchy of the identifiers associated with the respective objects establishing the relationship, the relationship type information indicating a content of the each of the relationships, and relationship period information indicating a time period during which the relationship is maintained,

and wherein the root information table in the storage unit is configured to hold root information on the each upper layer and lower layer identifier pair establishing one of the packing and loading relationship and the installation relationship, the identifier at the highest layer in one of the packing and loading relationship and the installation relationship being taken as the upper layer identifier and set as the root information, the root information table including the relationship period information indicating the period during which the relationship is maintained,

the relationship information registration part being configured to

receive the relationship information on one of the packing and loading relationship and the installation relationship in which the change has occurred, and

in a case where the relationship type information in the relationship information indicates detachment, such as unpacking and unloading, of an object having the lower layer identifier from an object having the upper layer identifier,

perform a search on the relationship information table using the lower layer identifier as a key to specify a dependent identifier having the lower layer identifier as an upper layer identifier thereof,

update, for the lower layer identifier and the dependent identifier, a relationship end date and time indicated by the relationship period information in the root information table with a date and time of the detachment indicated by the relationship information,

perform a search on the root information table using the lower layer identifier as a key to specify corresponding root information, and

register the thus specified root information into the root information table as the root information for the lower layer identifier and the dependent identifier.

5. The sensor information management system according to claim 1, wherein

the storage unit stores an ID-type initial-value table configured to hold identifier types, such as a product, pallet, and container, corresponding to the identifiers, and initial values which are values indicating a containment relationship for each of the identifier types of identifiers,

and wherein the relationship information registration part is configured to perform, upon registration of the relationship information, a process of

determining the identifier type and the initial value of each of the upper layer identifier and the lower layer identifier indicated by the relationship information using the ID-type initial-value table,

in a case where relationship type information in the relationship information indicates attachment, such as packing, loading or containment, of the object having the lower layer identifier to the object having the upper layer identifier, reducing a range defined by the initial value of the lower layer identifier to a range small enough to be included in a range defined by the initial value of the upper layer identifier and then setting a reduction value thus obtained in association with the lower layer identifier in the root information table, and

in a case where the relationship type information in the relationship information indicates detachment, such as unpacking of or unloading, of the object having the lower layer identifier from the object having the upper layer identifier, restores the reduction value set for the lower layer identifier in the root information table to the initial value of the lower layer identifier.

6. A sensor information management method for managing sensor information measured by a sensor, the sensor information management method being performed by a computer system provided with a storage unit in which a relationship information table, a root information table and a sensor information table are stored,

the relationship information table being configured to hold relationship information on one of packing and loading relationship and an installation relationship between a transport object, a transportation unit capable of packing, loading or transporting the transport object, and a sensor installed on one of the transport object and the transportation unit, the relationship information including information on a hierarchy of identifiers associated with respective objects establishing the relationship,

the root information table being configured to hold root information on each upper layer and lower layer identifier pair establishing one of the packing and loading relationship and the installation relationship, an identifier at the highest layer in one of the packing and loading relationship and the installation relationship being taken as the upper layer identifier and set as the root information, and

the sensor information table being configured to hold an identifier of the sensor and a history of sensor information measured by the sensor associated with the identifier,

the sensor information management method comprising:

performing a process of receiving, upon occurrence of a change in one of the packing and loading relationship and the installation relationship, the relationship information on one of the packing and loading relationship and the installation relationship in which the change has occurred, from one of an input unit and an external terminal via a communication unit, registering the relationship information into the relationship information table, performing a search on the root information table using a key the lower layer identifier in the pair of identifiers indicated by the received relationship information a key, specifying a dependant identifier having the lower layer identifier as an upper layer identifier thereof, specifying corresponding root information by performing a search on the root information table using the upper layer identifier in the pair of identifiers as a key, and registering the specified root information into the root information table as root information of the dependent identifier; and

performing a process of receiving a reference request for sensor information corresponding to one of a certain transport object and a certain transportation unit, the reference request being received from one of the input unit and the external terminal via the communication unit, obtaining an identifier located at the highest layer among identifiers related with the transport object or the transportation unit, the identifier being obtained from the root information table, obtaining the sensor information from the sensor information table with the obtained identifier being a key, and outputting the sensor information as the sensor information on one of the transport object and the transportation unit to one of an output unit or the external terminal via the communication unit.

7. The sensor information management method according to claim 6, wherein

the relationship information table is configured to hold the relationship information on one of the packing and loading relationship and the installation relationship between the transport object, the transportation unit capable of packing, loading and transporting the transport object, and the sensor installed on the transport object or the transportation unit, the relationship information including the information on the hierarchy of the identifiers associated with the respective objects establishing the relationship and relationship type information indicating a content of the each of the relationships, and

the process of registering into the root information table includes performing a search on the relationship information table for the lower layer identifier and the upper layer identifier included in the relationship information to be registered, determining whether or not any of the lower layer identifier and the upper layer identifier has an installation relationship with the sensor on the basis of the relationship type information obtained by the search, and, for the identifier which has been determined as being installed with the sensor, performing a registration process into the relationship information table with the relationship information in which the identifier is replaced with an identifier of the sensor.

8. The sensor information management method according to claim 6, wherein

the relationship information table is configured to hold the relationship information on one of the packing and loading relationship and the installation relationship between the transport object, the transportation unit capable of packing, loading or transporting the transport object, and the sensor installed on one of the transport object and the transportation unit, the relationship information including the information on the hierarchy of the identifiers associated with the respective objects establishing the relationship, the relationship type information indicating a content of the each of the relationships, and relationship period information indicating a time period during which the relationship is maintained,

and wherein the root information table is configured to hold root information on the each upper layer and lower layer identifier pair establishing one of the packing and loading relationship and the installation relationship, the identifier at the highest layer in one of the packing and loading relationship and the installation relationship being taken as the upper layer identifier and set as the root information, the root information table including the relationship period information indicating the period during which the relationship is maintained,

the process of registration into the root information table includes receiving the relationship information on one of the packing and loading relationship and the installation relationship in which the change has occurred, and

in a case where the relationship type information in the relationship information indicates attachment, such as packing, loading or containment, of an object having the lower layer identifier to an object having the upper layer identifier,

performing a search on the relationship information table using the lower layer identifier as a key to specify a dependent identifier having the lower layer identifier as an upper layer identifier thereof,

updating, for the lower layer identifier and the dependent identifier, a relationship end date and time indicated by the relationship period information in the root information table with a date and time of the attachment indicated by the relationship information,

performing a search on the root information table using the upper layer identifier as a key to specify corresponding root information, and

registering the thus specified root information into the root information table as the root information for the lower layer identifier and the dependent identifier.

9. The sensor information management method according to claim 6, wherein

the relationship information table is configured to hold the relationship information on one of the packing and loading relationship and the installation relationship between the transport object, the transportation unit capable of packing, loading or transporting the transport object, and the sensor installed on one of the transport object and the transportation unit, the relationship information including the information on the hierarchy of the identifiers associated with the respective objects establishing the relationship, the relationship type information indicating a content of the each of the relationships, and relationship period information indicating a time period during which the relationship is maintained,

and wherein the root information table is configured to hold root information on the each upper layer and lower layer identifier pair establishing one of the packing and loading relationship and the installation relationship, the identifier at the highest layer in one of the packing and loading relationship and the installation relationship being taken as the upper layer identifier and set as the root information, the root information table including the relationship period information indicating the period during which the relationship is maintained,

the process of registration into the root information table includes

receiving the relationship information on one of the packing and loading relationship and the installation relationship in which the change has occurred, and

in a case where the relationship type information in the relationship information indicates detachment, such as unpacking and unloading, of an object having the lower layer identifier from an object having the upper layer identifier,

performing a search on the relationship information table using the lower layer identifier as a key to specify a dependent identifier having the lower layer identifier as an upper layer identifier thereof,

updating, for the lower layer identifier and the dependent identifier, a relationship end date and time indicated by the relationship period information in the root information table with a date and time of the detachment indicated by the relationship information,

performing a search on the root information table using the lower layer identifier as a key to specify corresponding root information, and

registering the thus specified root information into the root information table as the root information for the lower layer identifier and the dependent identifier.

10. The sensor information management method according to claim 6, wherein

the storage unit stores an ID-type initial-value table configured to hold identifier types, such as a product, pallet, and container, corresponding to the identifiers, and initial values which are values indicating a containment relationship for each of the identifier types of identifiers,

and wherein the process of registration into the root information table includes performing, upon registration of the relationship information, a process of

determining the identifier type and the initial value of each of the upper layer identifier and the lower layer identifier indicated by the relationship information using the ID-type initial-value table,

in a case where relationship type information in the relationship information indicates attachment, such as packing, loading or containment, of the object having the lower layer identifier to the object having the upper layer identifier, reducing a range defined by the initial value of the lower layer identifier to a range small enough to be included in a range defined by the initial value of the upper layer identifier and then setting a reduction value thus obtained in association with the lower layer identifier in the root information table, and

in a case where the relationship type information in the relationship information indicates detachment, such as unpacking of or unloading, of the object having the lower layer identifier from the object having the upper layer identifier, restores the reduction value set for the lower layer identifier in the root information table to the initial value of the lower layer identifier.