System for controlling physical distribution pallets

• US 5,933,354 A
• Filed: 10/15/1996
• Issued: 08/03/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Shimada, Takanori, Abe, Akihiro, Kobashi, Kazuo
• Primary Examiner(s): Grant, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): Rao, Sheela S.
• Application Number:
  US08/732,099
• Time in Patent Office: 1,022 Days
• Field of Search: 364/478, 364/468, 395/210, 340/825
• US Class Current: 700/228
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/41865 characterised by job scheduling, process planning, material flow
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31095 Read write intelligent chip on workpiece, pallet, tool for data exchange
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31158 Wan wide area network
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31283 Communication memory, storage, ram, eprom on workpiece or pallet
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31312 Identify pallet, bag, box code
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31319 Use data groups as inventory control value, adapt inventory need to new data
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/33192 Radio link, wireless
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]

Abstract

The present invention provides a system for controlling physical distribution pallets, by which it is possible to accurately identify status of pallets, to set up an adequate forwarding plan of pallets, and to accomplish physical distribution in smooth manner. The system comprises wireless detecting means 22 mounted on pallets and for detecting pallet control information transmitted from transmitting means 21 which stores pallet control information of said pallet and transmits in wireless, pallet stock data storage means 23 for receiving and storing the pallet control information detected by the wireless detecting means via a wide area communication network, and pallet status judging means 24 for judging whether the pallet stored in memory of the pallet stock data storage means is empty or not based on the pallet control information of said pallet. Further, it comprises supply and demand predicting means 27 for predicting supply and demand of pallets at physical distribution bases and planning means 29 for setting up a forwarding plan for forwarding pallets at minimal cost between physical distribution bases. It is possible according to the present system to accurately identify the status of pallets, to set up an adequate forwarding plan for pallets, and to accomplish smooth physical distribution.

Claims

1. A system for controlling physical distribution pallets used for transportation of freight in wide area physical distribution, comprising:

a wireless tag mounted on each pallet,

said wireless tag storing pallet control information of the pallet and operable for transmitting said pallet control information in wireless by radio wave energy which is generated in said wireless tag;

wireless detecting means installed at each of a plurality of physical distribution bases for detecting pallet control information transmitted from the wireless tag mounted on each pallet arriving at or departing from a respective physical distribution base;

stock data storage means for receiving and storing the pallet control information detected by said wireless detecting means via a wide area communication network;

pallet status judging means for judging whether a pallet stored in said pallet stock data storage means is empty or not based on the pallet control information of said pallet;

transport schedule storage means for storing information relating to a schedule of transport services and supply; and

demand predicting means for predicting supply and demand of pallets at said physical distribution base according to the information stored in said transport schedule storage means and according to a quantity of pallets in an empty status at the physical distribution base,

further comprising forwarding plan setting means for setting up a pallet forwarding plan between the physical distribution bases according to the predicted supply and demand data of pallets obtained by said supply and demand predicting means and knowledge or constraint condition relating to supply and demand of pallets.

2. The system for controlling physical distribution pallets according to claim 1, wherein said forwarding plan setting means sets up forwarding destination, forwarding quantity and forwarding time to minimize a forwarding cost between a plurality of physical distribution bases where pallets are in excess and a plurality of physical distribution bases where pallets are in shortage.

3. The system for controlling physical distribution pallets according to claim 1, further comprising transport network storage means for hierarchically arranging and storing information relating to a transport network connecting said physical distribution bases, and

wherein said forwarding plan setting means uses data stored in said transport network storage means when setting up said pallet forwarding plan.

4. The system for controlling physical distribution pallets according to claim 3, wherein said transport network storage means classifies data relating to said transport network into major transfer bases, general transfer bases and collection and delivery bases according to a function of each physical distribution base and hierarchically stores said data.

5. The system for controlling physical distribution pallets according to claim 1, further comprising:

map storage means for storing road maps, and

route searching means for searching a transport route to said pallet forwarding destination based on the data of the pallet forwarding plan set up by said forwarding plan setting means and the data of said map storage means.

6. A system for controlling physical distribution pallets for controlling a stock of pallets and for setting up a pallet forwarding plan in wide area physical distribution comprising:

a user interface for accepting request of a user and for displaying the pallet forwarding plan thus set up;

a wireless tag device for automatically acquiring information relating to entry or departure of pallets to or from stock, said wireless tag device operable for transmitting said information in wireless by radio wave energy which is generated in said wireless tag device;

accumulating means for accumulating information of acquired pallets or information of the pallet forwarding plan thus set up; and

a system main unit for reading information of said accumulating means and for setting up the pallet forwarding plan requested by the user,

wherein said system main unit comprises hierarchical planning means for dividing physical distribution bases into bases between districts and bases within a district and hierarchically setting up said pallet forwarding plan into a plan between districts and a plan within a district.