CONTROL SYSTEM

• US 20180141753A1
• Filed: 01/22/2018
• Published: 05/24/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Hoang, Le Anh, Koga, Yasutaka
• Granted Patent: US 10,479,603 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 1/137 with arrangements or automatic control means for selecting which articles are to be removed
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 1/08 Systems for determining direction or position line
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0295 Proximity-based methods, e.g. position inferred from reception of particular signals
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/04 Position of source determined by a plurality of spaced direction-finders
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07749 the record carrier being capable of non-contact communication, e.g. constructional details of the antenna of a non-contact smart card
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0833 Tracking

Abstract

A control system of an article according to an embodiment includes a first transmitter having a first radio signal range, being mounted at a first location, and transmitting first position information relating to the first location, a second transmitter having a second radio signal range, being mounted at a second location, and transmitting second position information relating to the second location, the second radio signal range being narrower than the first radio signal range, an acquirer acquiring the first position information and the second position information, and a memory part, information relating to the article is associated with the first position information or the second position information and stored in the memory part.

Claims

1. A control system of an article, the control system comprising:

a first transmitter having a first radio signal range, being mounted at a first location, and transmitting first position information relating to the first location;

a second transmitter having a second radio signal range, being mounted at a second location, and transmitting second position information relating to the second location, the second radio signal range being narrower than the first radio signal range;

an acquirer acquiring the first position information and the second position information; and

a memory part, information relating to the article is associated with the first position information or the second position information and stored in the memory part.

2. The control system according to claim 1, further comprising a first identifier including first identification information and being attached to the article,

the first identification information being associated with the first position information or the second position information and being stored in the memory part.

3. The control system according to claim 2, further comprising:

a first reader reading the second position information and transmitting the second position information to the acquirer; and

a second reader reading the first identification information and transmitting the first identification information to the acquirer,

the transmitting to the acquirer from the first transmitter, the first reader, and the second reader being performed using a common wireless communication standard.

4. The control system according to claim 3, wherein

the first transmitter is a beacon,

the second transmitter is a RFID tag,

the first reader is a RFID reader, and

the wireless communication standard is Bluetooth (registered trademark).

5. The control system according to claim 2, further comprising a displayer visualizing and displaying the first position information or the second position information associated with the first identification information.

6. The control system according to claim 1, further comprising a third transmitter having the first radio signal range, being mounted at a third location, and transmitting third position information relating to the third location,

the first transmitter being mounted to a first storer provided along a first direction,

the third transmitter being mounted to a second storer provided along the first direction, the second storer opposing the first storer in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction,

a position in the first direction of the first transmitter being different from a position in the first direction of the second transmitter.

7. A control system of an article, the control system comprising:

a first transmitter having a first radio signal range, being mounted at a first location, and transmitting first identification information;

a second transmitter having a second radio signal range, being mounted at a second location, and transmitting second identification information, the second radio signal range being narrower than the first radio signal range;

an acquirer acquiring the first identification information and the second identification information; and

a memory part, first position information and second position information being stored in the memory part, the first position information relating to the first location and corresponding to the first identification information, the second position information relating to the second location and corresponding to the second identification information, information relating to the article is associated with the first identification information or the second identification information and stored in the memory part.

8. A control system of an article stored inside a warehouse, the control system comprising:

a beacon transmitting first position information and being mounted at a location inside the warehouse, the location being prescribed, the first position information relating to the location;

an identifier including identification information and being attached to the article, the identification information being unique,

a reader reading the identification information;

an acquirer acquiring the first position information transmitted from the beacon and the identification information read by the reader; and

a memory part, the first position information and the identification information being associated and stored in the memory part.

9. The control system according to claim 8, wherein the acquirer is configured to acquire second position information by using a voice.

10. The control system according to claim 9, further comprising a displayer displaying the second position information and the first position information acquired by the acquirer,

the acquirer acquiring the first position information automatically,

the acquirer being configured to acquire, when the first position information is acquired automatically by the acquirer, the second position information by using the voice in a state in which the displayer displays the first position information.