Method and system for storing goods trace information

• US 20060080190A1
• Filed: 09/29/2005
• Published: 04/13/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Suzuki, Kazuaki, Matsuda, Junichi, Furukawa, Isao, Nakagami, Shoichi, Yanagita, Takashi, Shimonaga, Hirohisa
• Application Number:
  US11/237,861
• Publication Number:
  US 20060080190A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/28
• 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

Abstract

The present invention provides a goods trace information storing method comprising the steps of: acquiring identification information from an RFID (Radio Frequency Identifier) tag in each distribution level by an identification information read mechanism, and acquiring physical property information of goods, where the RFID tag is attached, by a physical quantity measurement mechanism; a comparison determination mechanism'"'"'s comparing the physical property information with predetermined threshold information and outputting determination information comprising information for indicating whether or not the physical property information is out of a range of the threshold information; and a registration mechanism'"'"'s making the acquired identification information, physical property information, and determination information correspond to information for identifying the information group, including information for specifying an acquisition time and an acquired distribution level, and storing them in a memory mechanism.

Claims

1. A goods trace information storing method for storing information relating to a distribution history of goods, where a tag for storing at least identification information is attached, in a plurality of distribution levels, the method comprising the steps of:

acquiring said identification information from said tag in each distribution level by an identification information read mechanism, and acquiring physical property information of said goods, where said tag is attached, by a physical quantity measurement mechanism; and

a registration mechanism'"'"'s comprising information for identifying a distribution level where said identification information and said physical property information are acquired, making said identification information and said physical property information correspond to information for identifying the information group, and storing said identification information and said physical property information in a memory mechanism.

2. The goods trace information storing method according to claim 1, wherein a storing step in said memory mechanism further comprises information of time when said identification information and said physical property information are acquired, makes said identification information and said physical property information correspond to information for identifying said information group, and stores said identification information and said physical property information in said memory mechanism.

3. The goods trace information storing method according to claim 1, wherein said physical quantity measurement mechanism comprises an image input mechanism and a feature quantity extraction mechanism for extracting a feature quantity of said goods as said physical property information from an image of the goods taken by said image input mechanism.

4. The goods trace information storing method according to claim 2, wherein said physical quantity measurement mechanism comprises an image input mechanism and a feature quantity extraction mechanism for extracting a feature quantity of said goods as said physical property information from an image of said goods taken by said image input mechanism.

5. The goods trace information storing method according to claim 1,

wherein a comparison determination mechanism further comprises the steps of comparing said physical property information with predetermined threshold information and outputting determination information that comprises information for indicating whether or not said physical property information is out of a range of said threshold information after acquiring said identification information and said physical property information, and

wherein in the step of storing said identification information in said memory mechanism said registration mechanism further comprises and stores said determination information in said memory mechanism.

6. The goods trace information storing method according to claim 2,

wherein a comparison determination mechanism further comprises the steps of comparing said physical property information with predetermined threshold information and outputting determination information that comprises information for indicating whether or not said physical property information is out of a range of said threshold information after acquiring said identification information and said physical property information, and

wherein in the step of storing said identification information in said memory mechanism said registration mechanism further comprises and stores said determination information in said memory mechanism.

7. The goods trace information storing method according to claim 3,

wherein a comparison determination mechanism further comprises the steps of comparing said physical property information with predetermined threshold information and outputting determination information that comprises information for indicating whether or not said physical property information is out of a range of said threshold information after acquiring said identification information and said physical property information, and

wherein in the step of storing said identification information in said memory mechanism said registration mechanism further comprises and stores said determination information in said memory mechanism.

8. The goods trace information storing method according to claim 4,

wherein a comparison determination mechanism further comprises the steps of comparing said physical property information with predetermined threshold information and outputting determination information that comprises information for indicating whether or not said physical property information is out of a range of said threshold information after acquiring said identification information and said physical property information, and

wherein in the step of storing said identification information in said memory mechanism said registration mechanism further comprises and stores said determination information in said memory mechanism.

9. The goods trace information storing method according to claim 3 further comprising the steps of:

converting a character included in an image of said goods taken by said image input mechanism to a character code and extracting a predetermined character sequence as character information from the character code by a character recognition mechanism, after acquiring said identification information and said physical property information,

wherein in the step of storing said information group in said memory mechanism said registration mechanism further comprises and stores said character information in said memory mechanism.

10. The goods trace information storing method according to claim 9, wherein a predetermined character sequence extracted by said character recognition mechanism is a character sequence uniquely added to said goods.

11. The goods trace information storing method according to claim 9, wherein when a comparison determination mechanism compares said character information with predetermined reference information and there exists no matching information, the comparison determination mechanism comprises the step of sending and displaying at least said character information to and in a display mechanism provided at a predetermined distribution level in a subsequent stage after extracting said character information.

12. The goods trace information storing method according to claim 1, wherein said tag is an RFID (Radio Frequency Identifier) tag and said identification information read mechanism is an RFID reader.

13. A goods trace information storing system for accumulating information relating to a distribution history of goods, where a tag for storing at least identification information is attached, in a plurality of distribution levels, the system comprising:

an identification information read mechanism for acquiring said identification information stored in said tag in each distribution level;

a physical quantity measurement mechanism for acquiring physical property information of said goods;

a memory mechanism for storing said identification information and said physical property information; and

a registration mechanism comprising information for identifying a distribution level where said identification information and said physical property information are acquired, making said identification information and said physical property information correspond to information for identifying the information group, and storing said identification information and said physical property information in said memory mechanism.

14. The goods trace information storing system according to claim 13, wherein said registration mechanism further comprises information of time when said identification information and said physical property information are acquired, makes said identification information and said physical property information correspond to information for identifying said information group, and stores said identification information and said physical property information in said memory mechanism.

15. The goods trace information storing system according to claim 13, wherein said physical quantity measurement mechanism comprises an image input mechanism and a feature quantity extraction mechanism for extracting a feature quantity of said goods as said physical property information from an image of said goods taken by the image input mechanism.

16. The goods trace information storing system according to claim 13 further comprising:

a comparison determination mechanism for comparing said physical property information with predetermined threshold information and outputting determination information that comprises information for indicating whether or not said physical property information is out of a range of said threshold information,

wherein said registration mechanism further comprises and stores said determination information in said memory mechanism.

17. The goods trace information storing system according to claim 15 further comprising:

a character recognition mechanism for converting a character included in an image of said goods taken by said image input mechanism to a character code and extracting a predetermined character sequence as character information from the character code,

wherein said registration mechanism further comprises and stores said character information in said memory mechanism.

18. The goods trace information storing system according to claim 17, wherein a predetermined character sequence extracted by said character recognition mechanism is a character sequence uniquely added to said goods.

19. The goods trace information storing system according to claim 17 further comprising:

a comparison determination mechanism for comparing said character information with predetermined reference information, and sending and displaying at least said character information to and in a display mechanism provided at a predetermined distribution level in a subsequent stage, when there exists no matching information.

20. The goods trace information storing system according to claim 13, wherein said tag is an RFID tag and said identification information read mechanism is an RFID reader.