JP2003176030A - Distribution information management method - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [Problem] Using a portable recording medium and a portable wireless terminal,
To enable efficient paperless management of logistics processes at distribution centers. A worker carries a portable wireless terminal 41 or a portable wireless terminal 42 capable of exchanging information with the physical distribution information management server 21 to communicate with the physical distribution information management server 21 in each process. When the goods arrive, the arrival information is written to the portable recording medium by the IC card issuing machine 23, and the portable recording medium is attached to the commodity. In the process, the communication with the server 21 gives instructions to the worker and notifies the server of the confirmation result.
The client PC 24 monitors the physical distribution process by referring to the information in the database 22 of the server 21.

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to a distribution information management method, and more particularly to a series of operations and truck loading from customer ordering to receiving and shipping of goods into a distribution center. The present invention relates to a physical distribution information management method that manages operations from loading to delivery to a final user in a paperless manner by using only a portable recording medium. 2. Description of the Related Art In a distribution center, merchandise is received and stored, and shipment is performed in accordance with a customer's order. The shipped merchandise is transported to a destination by a truck or the like. In this logistics process, there are tasks such as management of product entry / shipment, product entry / shipment, transportation, and product confirmation at the time of receiving and receiving goods. These tasks are essential for efficient and accurate logistics. is there. For this management / confirmation work, various systems have been developed in which a portable recording medium in which various information is recorded on a product, particularly an IC card is mounted, and a physical distribution is managed by reading / writing recorded information on the recording medium. . [0003] For example, in the technique disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 11-349132, when an ordering company transports an article to a recipient via a carrier, the information is information to be transmitted to the recipient and a third party such as a carrier. In this case, the information to be concealed is written on the IC card by the shipping company using a reader / writer, and the IC card is attached to the article. The recipient is this IC
A reader / writer having a function of reading a card normally is provided to read confidential information from a shipping company. According to the technology disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 10-81408, in a physical distribution system in which an incoming cargo is sold to a buyer by auction, information on the cargo that has been collected at a shipper is transmitted to a portable communication terminal. And sends the information to a terminal installed in a space where buyers gather. When the buyer is determined by bidding on the display of the terminal device, the cargo is directly delivered to the buyer without passing through the collection point. In each process of the physical distribution, an IC card that can be read / written by a portable communication terminal is used for managing a luggage cart and physical distribution. [0005] As in the prior art described above, a portable recording medium, in particular, a system in which an IC card is combined with a communication means, a processing device, etc., is used to efficiently manage the logistics and to provide an advanced system. Can manage. However, the technology disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 11-349132 is to transmit confidential information using an IC card, and does not manage the entire process of physical distribution. Further, the technology disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 10-81408 is intended for a system from the collection of goods to be auctioned to the delivery to buyers, and therefore has a warehouse function for goods (commodities) like a general distribution center. It cannot be applied as it is in a management system that includes the entry and exit management required for the management system in the case. An object of the present invention is to manage each process involved in a series of operations from order placement to receipt / shipment, delivery and receipt in a distribution center having a warehouse function using a distribution information management server and a portable recording medium. It is an object of the present invention to provide a distribution information management method that can be performed. [0007] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides distribution information for managing a distribution process from the arrival of a product at a distribution center to the delivery to a customer. A management method, a server for managing logistics information provided with a storage unit, a portable recording medium, a portable wireless terminal and a client terminal capable of exchanging information with the server and the portable recording medium via a network. A portable recording medium issuing machine for writing initial information to the portable recording medium, and when a shipment request including arrival information and shipping information is received from a shipper, the arrival information and shipping information are added to the delivery information. The storage location of the product is added and registered in the storage means, and when the product requested for delivery arrives, the worker uses the portable wireless terminal to register the registered and received information on the server. After checking the read information with the name and quantity of the goods received, the portable storage medium storing the storage information in the distribution center created from the information registered in the storage means is stored in the portable storage medium. Attached to the goods that were created and received by a recording medium issuing machine for use, workers read the storage information recorded on the attached portable recording medium using a portable wireless terminal, and the contents, product name, quantity and After confirming the match and moving the product to the designated storage location,
Carrying-out confirmation processing of notifying the server of the completion of the transfer to the storage location is performed, and shipping instruction information including the product name, the quantity, the storage location, the shipping destination, and the truck flight number of the product for which the storage confirmation processing has been completed is transmitted to the server. Transmitted to the portable wireless terminal of the worker, the worker checked the contents of the storage unit attached to the product in the storage location indicated by the shipping instruction information with the shipping instruction information. After that, the portable wireless terminal writes the contents of the shipping instruction information as shipping information to the storage means affixed to the product by the portable wireless terminal, and further notifies the server of completion of delivery of the product to the server by the portable wireless terminal. Is carried out, and when the goods for which the delivery confirmation processing is completed are carried to the shipping area corresponding to the shipping destination, the worker edits the server using the client terminal. Stock shipping schedule that was created,
The server confirms that the shipping schedule has been compared with the contents read from the storage means affixed to the product in the shipping area by the portable wireless terminal, and then loads the product into the truck, and also completes the shipping inspection. When the goods loaded on the truck are transported to the shipping destination, the delivery person reads the information of the storage means affixed to the goods by the mobile wireless terminal and communicates with the shipping destination. Make a confirmation, notify the server of the completion of delivery to the server by receiving the receipt confirmation at the shipping destination, by the portable wireless terminal,
The server that has received the delivery completion provides a physical distribution information management system characterized by making a request for delivery of the product to the shipper. As described above, the logistics information management method using the portable recording medium enables the logistics information management server to centrally manage information relating to each business from ordering to delivery in a paperless manner, and in the physical distribution process. This makes it possible to efficiently and promptly give instructions to workers and collect confirmation results. An embodiment of the present invention will be described below. FIG. 1 shows a configuration example of a system provided with a distribution information management method according to the present invention, in which a host computer 1, a distribution center 2, and a branch 4 are connected via a LAN or a public line 3. Although the host computer 1 is connected to the distribution center 2 by a LAN, a public line or the like may be interposed between them. The host computer 1 is a computer used by a product manufacturer or a wholesaler, etc., and totally manages orders from customers, orders to distribution centers, inventory information, etc., and also includes operations including financial management. Is performed. The distribution center 2 has a distribution information management server 2
1 and the database 22 of this server, the IC card issuing machine 23, the client personal computers 24, 24,..., The access points 25, 25... To the LAN in the distribution center, and wireless communication with these access points,
Sends / receives data to / from the distribution information management server 21 and IC
Portable wireless terminal 2 with function to read / write to card
, 26,..., A connection computer 27 between LANs is provided. The distribution information management server 21 is a computer which is the core of the system, and manages the status of each process from receiving an order from the host computer 1 to delivering the product using an IC card attached to the product. . The data to be handled are inventory information, receipt / shipment information, delivery / reception result information, work progress information, and the like.
2 and perform management while updating. The client personal computer 24 refers to the data in the database 22,
It has a function to input data for C card and issue various forms.
The IC card writer 23 is a device that writes information necessary for information management by the present system to an IC card when a product arrives at a distribution center. The branch 4 can refer to and register various types of information (stock information, shipping / shipping information, loading / unloading result information, work progress information, etc.) held in the database 22 of the distribution information management server 21. There are a personal computer terminal 41 that can read and write IC card information, and a portable wireless terminal 42 having functions similar to those personal computer terminals. The portable wireless terminal 42 refers to the database 22 on the spot.
This terminal is used for performing registration and reading / writing IC card information, and is a terminal that can be connected to a mobile public telephone network. FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a procedure of information management associated with a series of operations from the arrival of a product to a delivery center until delivery. First, merchandise purchase information processed by the host computer 1 based on merchandise order information from a customer is transmitted from the host computer to the distribution information management server 21 as arrival information / shipment information. The arrival information is stored in the database 22 of the distribution information management server until the corresponding product arrives at the distribution center (step 201). When the product arrives at the distribution center, the worker refers to the arrival information by the portable wireless terminal 26, compares this information with the actual product name and quantity, and if they match, the storage information in the distribution center (product code, product name) , An amount, a slip number, a storage location, etc.) are issued using the IC card issuing machine 23, and are attached to the corresponding product (step 202). For the product to which the IC card is attached, the worker reads the information recorded on the IC card using the portable wireless terminal 26, and the goods are inspected to determine whether the information matches the actual product. After that, it is moved to the storage location specified by the storage information in the distribution center and stored. At this time, the worker sends the address of the warehousing location, the name of the warehousing product, the quantity, and the like to the distribution information management server 21 using the portable wireless terminal 26, and thus the inventory information in the delivery center is stored in the distribution information management server 21. Is registered in the database 22 (receiving confirmation processing, procedure 203). When the warehousing work is completed as described above, the warehousing work is performed next. The outgoing work in the delivery center is a work of picking a specified quantity of the corresponding goods from the location of each storage location based on the shipping information transmitted from the host computer and registered in the database 22 of the distribution information management server. First, the physical distribution information management server 21 allocates the picking quantity and the location from the stock information in the distribution center based on the shipping information registered in the database 22, and stores the location and the information in the portable wireless terminal carried by the worker. The shipping instruction information including the product and the outgoing quantity is displayed (step 204). The worker moves to the corresponding storage location according to the instruction, reads the barcode-coded location information and the product storage information of the IC card attached to the product, and confirms that the information matches the delivery instruction information. The logistics information management server 21 sends information indicating that the corresponding product has been dispatched by the specified quantity.
And the shipping information (product code, product name, quantity,
The slip number, storage location, shipping destination, customer name, truck flight number, etc.) are written (step 205). This leaving confirmation process is performed using the portable wireless terminal of the worker. The designation of the truck flight number is used if it is included in the shipping information from the host computer in advance, and if it is not included, the distribution information management server 21 uses a manual or automatic dispatch system using some database. Shall be specified. On the other hand, in the distribution information management server 21,
Based on the information sent by the above-described outgoing delivery determination processing, a shipping schedule listing the merchandise names, quantities, shipping destinations, and the like of the merchandise to be loaded for each truck is created and prepared for shipping inspection described later. The goods delivered from the location are collected in the sorting area, sorted by destination, store, delivery route, etc., and transported to the designated shipping area. Before loading the goods in the shipping area onto the truck, the worker inquires of the logistics information management server 21 about the shipping details corresponding to the truck using the nearby client personal computer 24, and the shipping details table corresponding to the truck is sent from the physical distribution information management server 21. And print it out from the client computer. The shipping schedule and the shipping information of the actual product in the shipping area and the IC card attached to it are checked and checked, and there is no mistake in the product name, quantity, shipping destination, etc., and loading to the truck is performed. Do. This confirmation result is reported to the distribution information management server 21 (shipment inspection processing; procedure 206). When the truck loaded with the goods arrives at the customer, the delivery person reads the IC card information attached to the goods by using the portable wireless terminal 42 having the IC card read / write function carried by the user and reads the IC card information. Verify that the product is ordered by the customer to whom it arrived. If confirmed, have the customer process the receipt. If it is incorrect, it makes an inquiry to the distribution information management server 21 and performs processing according to the content of the trouble. Also, when delivering to a branch, business office, store, etc., instead of transporting the product directly from the delivery center to the customer, a business personal computer with an IC card read / write function may be used instead of the portable wireless terminal 42. . Communication between the mobile type portable wireless terminal 42 or the business personal computer and the distribution information management server 21 in the distribution center is performed using a public line, but the communication may be performed using a dedicated line or the Web. Good. When the delivery is completed, the delivery person transmits the delivery completion information to the distribution information management server 21 and writes the data of the customer receipt confirmation to the IC card attached to the product. This completes the delivery processing (procedure 207). The delivery staff removes the attached IC card when delivering the product to the customer,
Take it back to the distribution center for reuse. When the delivery is completed and the delivery information is transmitted to the distribution information management server 21, the delivery information is registered in the database 22 as shipping acceptance information, and the host computer 1
A notification of completion is sent to (Step 208). The host computer 1 bills the customer based on the information of the completion notification. In addition, the information transmitted from the portable wireless terminal during the physical distribution process, such as the entry confirmation, the exit confirmation, the shipment status, and the completion of delivery, can be constantly monitored by the client personal computer 24, so that the distribution management can be performed reliably and efficiently. . As described above, according to the physical distribution information management method of the present invention, the progress of the product distribution process can be grasped and the confirmation work of the worker can be performed efficiently and quickly and accurately without paper. There is.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration example of a distribution information management system according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing an information management procedure in a physical distribution process in the system of FIG. [Description of Signs] 1 host computer 2 distribution center 4 branch 21 distribution information management server 23 IC card issuing machine 24 client personal computers 26, 42 portable wireless terminal 41 business personal computer

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification symbol FI Theme coat ゛ (Reference) G06K 17/00 G06K 17/00 L 19/00 H04B 7/26 M H04B 7/26 H04Q 7/04 Z H04Q 7/20 G06K 19/00 Q F term (reference) 5B035 BB09 BC00 5B058 CA01 KA11 YA20 5K067 AA21 BB04 BB21 DD51 EE02 EE10 EE16 FF02 HH22

Claims (1)

Claims 1. A logistics information management method for managing a logistics process from the arrival of a product at a distribution center to the delivery to a customer, the distribution information management having storage means. Server, a portable recording medium, a portable radio terminal and a client terminal capable of exchanging information with the server and the portable recording medium via a network, and exchanging information with the portable recording medium. A portable recording medium issuing device for writing initial information to the portable recording medium, and when a shipment request is received from a shipper including goods arrival information and shipping information, the arrival information and shipping information are provided. The storage location of the product is added to the storage means and registered in the storage means. When the product requested for delivery arrives, the worker uses the portable wireless terminal to read the registered and received information. After reading the information from the server and comparing the read information with the item name and quantity of the received product, the portable recording medium storing the storage information in the distribution center created from the information registered in the storage means is stored. The portable recording medium issuing machine creates and affixes the received information to a commodity, and the worker reads the storage information recorded on the portable recording medium affixed to the commodity using a portable wireless terminal. After confirming the match with the name / quantity and moving the product to the designated storage location, perform the storage finalization process of notifying the server of the completion of the movement to the storage location, and perform the storage finalization process. Its name, quantity,
When the shipping instruction information including the storage location, shipping destination, and truck flight number is transmitted from the server to the portable wireless terminal of the worker, the worker attaches the product to the product in the storage location specified by the shipping instruction information. After comparing the contents of the stored storage unit with the shipping instruction information, the portable wireless terminal writes the contents of the shipping instruction information as shipping information to the storage unit attached to the product, and further writes the product. Cargo completion is performed by notifying the server of the completion of the delivery by the portable wireless terminal to the server.When the product after the delivery confirmation processing is carried to the shipping area corresponding to the shipping destination, the worker uses the client terminal. The server retrieves the shipping schedule edited and created by the server, and retrieves the shipping schedule from the shipping schedule and the portable recording medium attached to the product in the shipping area by the portable wireless terminal. After checking the contents with the loaded contents, loading the goods into the truck, and notifying the server that the shipment inspection has been completed to the server by the portable wireless terminal, the goods loaded into the truck are sent to the shipping destination. After being carried, the delivery person reads the information on the portable recording medium attached to the product by the portable wireless terminal to confirm with the shipping destination, receives a receipt confirmation at the shipping destination, and completes the delivery by the portable wireless terminal. A logistics information management system, wherein the server notifies the server by a terminal, and the server that has received the delivery completion performs a billing process regarding delivery of the product to the shipper.