JP2005092690A - Commodity distribution management system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To obtain a commodity distribution management system capable of preventing illicitness such as a illicit indication or a forged commodity and enabling a consumer to acquire the history information of a purchased commodity. <P>SOLUTION: The commodity distribution management system comprises a distribution management server for assigning an identification code to the commodity, a producer terminal having a printing part for printing the identification code as an identification mark, and an image acquisition device owned by a consumer. When the commodity is produced, the identification mark generated based on the identification code assigned to this commodity by the distribution management server is printed by the printing part of the producer terminal and attached to the commodity. The consumer acquires the image of the identification mark of the purchase commodity by the image acquisition device, and transmits this image to the distribution management server, thereby inquiring the validity of the commodity. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a merchandise distribution management system that manages merchandise distribution and provides merchandise history information to consumers.

In recent years, anxiety about products distributed by consumers has become a social problem due to the assurance of the safety of goods such as branded goods and the like, the security of goods such as foods, and illegal labeling of food labels.
In order to manage the distribution of such merchandise, the conventional merchandise distribution management system inputs production location information such as production location, producer, and shipping date and time at the production location, and prints the shipment label printed with a barcode. All the products that use the raw material are shipped with the shipping label attached to the packaging of the raw material, the shipping label is read at the product processing factory, and the processing factory and processing date information entered by the operator is added. The product to be excluded is specified by the shipping label read by the store when a contamination accident of raw materials or the like occurs, and the sale of the product is stopped (for example, see Patent Document 1).
JP 2003-63622 A (page 4 right column-page 5 right column, Fig. 1)

However, in the above-described conventional technology, a shipping label printed with production location information and processing factory information input by an operator is attached to a package of a product to be shipped, so input of falsification information, replacement of a shipping label, etc. There is a problem that it is difficult to prevent fraudulent display or production of counterfeit goods due to falsification of the production area or producer.
In addition, since the production area information and processing factory information are printed on the shipping label using a barcode, there is a problem that the production area information of the product purchased by the consumer cannot be known.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems, and can prevent unauthorized display such as illegal display and counterfeit products, and can easily know history information of products purchased by consumers. The purpose is to realize a distribution management system.

  In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides a distribution management server in which a product distribution management system gives an identification code to a product, a producer terminal having a printing unit that prints the identification code as an identification mark, and a consumer When the product is produced, the product is printed with an identification mark generated based on the identification code given by the distribution management server, and the consumer attaches the identification mark. An image of an identification mark of a product purchased by an image acquisition device is acquired, and the legitimacy of the product is inquired by transmitting the image to the distribution management server.

  As a result, the present invention enables consumers to know the legitimacy of a product easily even with a patterned identification mark, and also allows the counterfeit product to be easily counterfeited. An effect that fraud can be prevented is obtained.

The product targeted by the product distribution system of the present invention is a product that is directly sold to consumers through distributors such as wholesalers, supermarkets, retail stores, etc., produced by producers such as manufacturers, farmers, and fishers. is there.
Such producers are required to always maintain the quality, form, etc. of the products they have produced and to guarantee their legitimacy to consumers.

For this reason, producers generally display their trademarks on products, containers, etc. to indicate the origin of the product. However, imitation of trademarks and shipping labels due to recent advances in electronic technology, printing technology, and production technology. It has become possible to easily perform fraud such as rewriting of products and counterfeiting of products.
Hereinafter, an embodiment of a merchandise distribution management system of the present invention for realizing normal merchandise distribution by preventing the above-described fraud will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a system configuration of the first embodiment, and FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a producer terminal of the first embodiment.
In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a distribution management server installed in a manufacturer, which has a function of generating a product identification code and a function of decoding an identification mark (described later) generated based on the identification code. At the time of shipment, an identification code is assigned to the product, and a product history information database 2 storing product history information of the product corresponding to the identification code is held to manage the distribution of the product.

In addition, the distribution management server 1 is connected to a communication network 3 such as the Internet and has a homepage opened there, and also has a function as a web server that publishes product history information in response to inquiries from consumers. Yes.
The above producers are responsible for the legitimacy of the products they produce, such as manufacturers, manufacturers or cooperatives of industrial products or handicraft products, or farmers, fishers or cooperatives, etc. It is.

Reference numeral 4 denotes a producer terminal installed in a manufacturer's shipping area or the like, which is connected to the distribution management server 1 via a LAN (Local Area Network) or the like so as to be capable of data communication with each other.
Reference numeral 5 denotes an image acquisition device owned by a consumer, which is a device having a function of transmitting captured images as digital image data and a function of displaying characters and images. It is comprised by the combination of a portable terminal or these and a personal computer.

In FIG. 2, reference numeral 11 denotes a main control unit of the producer terminal 4, which is connected to the distribution management server 1 via a LAN or the like, controls each unit of the producer terminal 4 to execute various processes, and performs data communication or the like. Also controls.
The main control unit 11 has a function of generating an identification mark based on an identification code transmitted from the distribution management server 1.

The identification mark of the present embodiment is a two-dimensional bar code that can express a large number of characters as a pattern, for example, a QR (Quick Response) code (JIS X 0510-1999) as shown in FIG.
QR code can be a number of 7000 digits or more if it is a number, can be masked in double or triple, and can express a lot of information and is difficult to imitate. is there.

A storage unit 12 stores a program executed by the main control unit 11, a processing result by the main control unit 11, and the like.
Reference numeral 13 denotes a display unit that includes a display screen such as a CRT or LCD, and displays a guidance screen for guiding operations of a worker of the manufacturer, various input screens, and the like.
Reference numeral 14 denotes an input unit, which is equipped with a keyboard, a mouse, and the like, and has a function of accepting an input of a product name, a production place name, and the like input by a worker of the manufacturer.

Reference numeral 15 denotes a printing unit, which includes a printer having an inkjet print head with a relatively long ink reach, such as a continuous type, and prints an identification code or the like as an identification mark by print data sent from the main control unit 11. It has a function to do.
In the present embodiment, the ink for printing the identification mark directly on the product such as tofu, fruit and fish used for food is food ink approved for use on the product colored with food red or the like.

The operation of the above configuration will be described.
Regarding the operation of the shipping process by the producer terminal 4 and the distribution management server 1 in the producer of the present embodiment, using the flowchart shown in FIG. 4, the case of the producer terminal 4 is S, and the case of the distribution management server 1 is SR. This will be explained according to the steps shown.
S1, when the production staff is ready to ship the product, the product type, product information, the quantity of the product sold, such as the number of products and the number of packs, etc. This is input by the input unit 14 of the person terminal 4.

  In this case, if the manufacturer is a manufacturer of accessories such as accessories, clothes, bags, perfumes, etc., enter the product name and model as the product type, and enter the manufacturer name and shipping location as product information. If you are a manufacturer of processed foods such as wine or tofu, enter the product name as the product type, enter the manufacturer name and shipping location, the origin of raw materials, the presence or absence of genetically modified raw materials, etc. For agricultural producers, etc., enter the type of agricultural product as the product type, the product name, shipping location, its variety, grade, type of fertilizer, whether or not agricultural chemicals or preservatives are used, etc. as the product information. In the case of a fisherman or aquaculture company of fishery products such as fish, the type of fishery product is entered as the product type, and the producer name, shipping location, catching place, feed type, etc. are entered as product information.

The main control unit 11 of the producer terminal 4 that has recognized this input transmits the input content to the distribution management server 1 as a shipping notification, and waits for reception of an identification code from the distribution management server in step S2 described later. .
SR1, the distribution management server 1 waiting in the shipping notification reception waiting state waiting for the arrival of the shipping notification from the producer terminal 4 by the parallel processing, proceeds to step SR2 when receiving the shipping notification. If no shipment notice is received, the standby is continued.

The distribution management server 1 that has received the SR2 and shipping notification refers to the product history information database 2 and generates a new identification code avoiding duplication based on the received shipping notification.
The identification code of the present embodiment is composed of a serial number having the maximum value for the product type and the shipment quantity, and this is expressed by a plurality of alphanumeric characters generated according to the rules or randomly. As a result, the same number of identification codes as the shipment quantity is generated, and a unique identification code is assigned to each product to be shipped.

The country name of the country of origin and the date and time when the shipping notification is received may be added to the configuration of the identification code, or may be a serial number for each product type.
SR3, the distribution management server 1 that has finished generating the identification code, registers the identification code in the product history information database 2, and uses the received product type and product information corresponding to the identification code as product history information in the product history information database. 2 is stored.

Note that. Information regarding the product stored thereafter is stored based on this identification code, and the registered identification code is also used to avoid duplication.
SR4, distribution management server 1 that has finished generating the identification code, transmits all the generated identification codes to producer terminal 4.
After that, the distribution management server 1 waits for parallel processing to wait for an end notification from the producer terminal 4 in step SR5 described later.

S2, The main control unit 11 waiting in the identification code reception waiting state waiting for the arrival of the identification code from the distribution management server 1 proceeds to step S3 when receiving the identification code. If the identification code is not received, the standby is continued.
In step S3, the main control unit 11 that has received the identification code generates an identification mark including a two-dimensional barcode that has been subjected to mask processing or the like from one of the received identification codes.

S4, the main control unit 11 that has generated the identification mark sends print data of the identification mark to the printing unit 15, prints the identification mark, and attaches it to the product.
In this case, if the product is a regular product, the identification mark is directly printed on the product and the identification mark is attached to the product.
That is, the surface of products with relatively large individuals such as apples, tangerines, lemons, potatoes, potatoes, peppers, tomatoes, potatoes and other agricultural products, mackerel, yellowtail, squid and other marine products, and processed foods such as tofu In addition, in the case of industrial products such as bags, watches, compact discs, ceramics, televisions, refrigerators, etc. or handicraft products, the identification mark is printed directly on the desired location such as the front, back, or inside depending on the form of the product itself. Accompany it.

If the product is an indefinite product, the identification mark is directly printed on the product container and the identification mark is attached to the product.
In other words, beverages such as wine, whiskey, juice, water, perfume, soy sauce, spray-type cosmetics and insecticides, lighter gas, fuel gas, lubricating oil, chemicals, etc. In the case of granular, needle-like or semi-solid products such as rice, soybeans, natto, miso, beads, etc. on the surface of a container such as a cylinder, an identification mark is directly printed on the surface of the container such as a bag or pack. .

If the product emphasizes design etc., for example, if it is a branded bag or clothes, etc., and you want to avoid printing directly on the surface etc., display the trademark of the product and sew or fix it directly on the product It is printed on a product tag attached to a product by a trademark tag or an insulok tie, a thread, sticking, etc., and is attached.
If the product is relatively small, such as an accessory such as a ring, necklace, brooch, or bracelet, and it is difficult to attach the identification mark directly to the product, the product's quality assurance certificate, quality indication, appraisal document, etc. Or it is attached to the product tag by printing.

The attachment of the identification mark to the product exemplified above is not limited to the above example, and all or part of them may be used together, or may be accompanied by the method exemplified as another product. For example, printing directly on a container which is a packaging pack of tofu.
In step S5, the main control unit 11 that has printed the identification mark creates shipping information with the date and time when the identification mark is printed as the shipping date and time, and stores the shipping information in the storage unit 12.

S6, the main control section 11 having finished storing the shipping information, determines that the shipping will continue if the number of times the identification mark has been printed has not reached the shipment quantity, returns to step S3, and sets the identification mark of the next identification code. While generating, the above printing operation is repeated, and when the shipment quantity is reached, it is determined that the shipment is finished, and the process proceeds to step S7.
S 7, the main control unit 11 that has determined the end of shipping creates an end notification with the end of shipping attached to all the shipping information stored in the storage unit 12 and transmits it to the distribution management server 1.

Then, the main control unit 11 deletes the shipping information stored in the storage unit 12 and ends the shipping process of the producer terminal 4.
SR5, the distribution management server 1 waiting in the end notification reception waiting state waiting for the arrival of the end notification from the producer terminal 4 by the parallel processing, proceeds to step SR6 when receiving the end notification. When the end notification is not received, the above standby is continued.

SR6, the distribution management server 1 that has received the end notification searches the product history information database 2 based on the received identification code of the end notification, identifies the corresponding product history information, and sets the shipping information of the end notification as the product history information. It is added to the specified product history information in the database 2 and stored.
Thereafter, the distribution management server 1 continues to wait for steps SR1 and SR5 by parallel processing.

As described above, the shipping process at the producer is completed, and the product shipped by the producer is sold to the consumer as it is through the seller.
When a consumer who purchases such a product inquires about the legitimacy of the product, the following is performed.
The consumer takes an identification mark attached to the product with the image income device 5 owned by the camera, for example, a camera-equipped mobile phone, and the camera is opened in the communication network 3 before or after the purchase of the product at the dealer. Connect to the website of the manufacturer of the product, and send the digital image data of the identification mark taken according to the input procedure to the distribution management server 1.

  The distribution management server 1 that has received an inquiry about the legitimacy of the image of the identification mark from the consumer cancels the mask processing and the like from the image data, reads the identification code, and based on this identification code, the merchandise history information database 2 To identify the corresponding product history information, and if the read identification code is a registered identification code and is a shipped product, authenticity is verified and the sender's mobile phone number or In addition to storing the date and time etc. as the inquiry information in addition to the specified product history information, extract all the specified product history information or the stored product type, producer name, shipping location, shipping date, etc. Display on the screen of the camera-equipped mobile phone.

  If the identification code is not registered or the inquiry information for the same identification code has already been stored, it is determined that the identification mark is fraudulent and that fact (if the inquiry information already exists, the inquiry Display a message such as "Attach information") on the screen of the camera-equipped mobile phone. As a result, the consumer can know the determination result of the validity of the purchased product and the product history information on the spot.

  Note that when a consumer makes an inquiry about the validity of an image using a mobile phone with a camera, it may be done via a personal computer. When an identification mark is taken with a digital camera, a personal computer or the like is used. Then, the distribution management server 1 may connect to a homepage established on the Internet and transmit the digital image data of the identification mark photographed in the same manner as described above.

  In addition, when this system accepts inquiries about the validity of goods delivered from sellers, the inquirer will be informed about the input procedure when connecting to the manufacturer's homepage for the above consumer. ”Or“ Consumer ”, set the input screen and send the image of the identification mark after this selection. When“ Seller ”is selected, the inquiry information is the seller inquiry information. And the same inquiry as in the case of the consumer described above.

  As described above, the legitimacy of the product is determined based on the identification code read from the image data of the identification mark transmitted by the distribution management server 1, and a query for an unregistered identification code or a plurality of times for the same identification code are performed. It is possible to easily know the legitimacy of the product purchased by the consumer and the product history information by determining fraud by inquiry and returning it to the mobile phone with the camera of the consumer. Since the fraud can be perceived even when it is printed on, etc., fraud such as fraudulent display or counterfeit goods can be prevented in advance.

  In step S3, when an identification mark is generated, an identification mark made of a two-dimensional barcode is generated by adding part or all of the product information such as the product type, producer name, shipping location, product type, and grade. It may be. As a result, if a retailer such as a supermarket is installed with an identification mark reading / display device using a combination of, for example, a two-dimensional handy barcode reader and a personal computer, the consumer can identify the identification mark of the product to be purchased. The information can be confirmed on the spot by applying it to the identification mark reading section.

  Further, the serial number with the maximum shipment quantity in step SR2 is transmitted only from the distribution management server 1 with an identification code corresponding to the product type, and the serial number is assigned in order in step S3 of the producer terminal 4. An identification mark may be generated as an individual identification code, or only an identification code corresponding to a product type may be generated as an identification mark. In this case, the determination of fraud is made by an inquiry of legitimacy exceeding the shipment quantity.

The above describes the case of goods produced domestically. However, in the case of imported goods, the producer in the exporting country manages the distribution of international goods based on the product history information in the same way as described above. If a homepage is opened in the communication network, the same operation as described above can be performed.
As described above, in the present embodiment, when a product is produced, the producer terminal generates an identification mark based on the identification code assigned to the product by the distribution management server, and is printed by the printing unit and attached. The consumer can easily know the legitimacy of a product by using a patterned identification mark by photographing the identification mark of the merchandise purchased by the consumer and sending the image to inquire about the legitimacy of the merchandise. In addition, imitation of the identification mark can be easily detected, and fraud such as sales of counterfeit goods can be prevented in advance.

  In addition, the merchandise history information of the merchandise to which the identification code is assigned is stored in the distribution management server, the identification code is read based on the image of the identification mark transmitted from the consumer, the merchandise history information is searched, and the validity is verified. By determining, in addition to the above effects, the distribution management server can easily determine the validity of the identification mark, and the consumer can easily know the product history information of the purchased product.

Furthermore, since the identification mark is directly printed on the product or the container of the product and attached, the identification mark becomes inseparable from the product, and it is possible to reliably prevent the shipping label and the like from dropping off or being replaced. It is possible to more surely prevent unauthorized display and fraudulent products.
In addition, those who intend to counterfeit a product by imprinting the identification mark on a trademark tag, an attached document, or a product tag that is absolutely necessary to display a product such as a brand product. The identification mark must be printed on the trademark tag, the attached document, and the product tag to be printed, and the same effect as when the identification mark is directly printed on the product can be obtained.

Furthermore, by making the identification code the only code for identifying each product, there will be only one product with the same identification code, and even if the identification mark is copied and imitated immediately In addition to being able to perceive the fraud, only one counterfeit identification mark or counterfeit product is effective, and the deterrence against fraud can be increased.
Furthermore, by providing a printer having an ink jet print head with a relatively long ink reach in the printing section of the producer terminal, it is possible to easily realize the direct printing of the identification mark on a product having irregularities. Can do.

Furthermore, since the identification mark is printed with the two-dimensional barcode, more information can be printed on the product and imitation can be made difficult by masking or the like. It is possible to restore the printed identification code without fail even if it is missing.
Furthermore, the consumer can easily obtain the product history information on the spot by photographing the identification mark of the product purchased by the consumer with the camera-equipped mobile phone and inquiring the legitimacy. It is possible to check the validity before purchasing the product, so that consumers can purchase the product with peace of mind, and it is also possible to prevent forgery of the product and fraud such as its sale in advance. . In addition, the consumer can inquire about the legitimacy of the purchased product anytime and anywhere, and the convenience of the consumer can be improved.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating a system configuration of the second embodiment.
In addition, the structure of the producer terminal 4 of a present Example is the same as that of Example 1 shown in FIG. The same parts as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof is omitted.
The distribution management server 1 according to the present embodiment has the same configuration as the distribution management server 1 according to the first embodiment, but is installed in a distribution manager, and the producer terminals 4 of a plurality of producers via the communication network 3. Connected.

In this case, the distribution management company is responsible for the legitimacy of the products it manages, and even if it is a public organization such as a public interest corporation, it is a private company established by an industry group such as distribution or manufacturing. May be.
The producer terminal 4 of the present embodiment has the same configuration as that of the first embodiment, but is configured to be able to communicate data with each other by connecting to the distribution management server 1 via the communication network 3. Therefore, the main control unit 11 is connected to the distribution management server 1 via the communication network 3.

Reference numeral 21 denotes a sales terminal such as a personal computer installed at a cash register of the dealer, which is connected to the distribution management server 1 via the communication network 3 so as to be capable of mutual data communication, and an identification mark printed on the product And an identification mark reading device 22 such as an optical scanner for reading the image, and has a function of converting the read identification mark into an identification code.
In this embodiment, the identification mark reader 22 includes a two-dimensional barcode reader for reading a two-dimensional barcode.

Reference numeral 23 denotes a delivery terminal such as a personal computer installed in a delivery place of the seller, etc., which is connected to the distribution management server 1 via the communication network 3 so as to be capable of data communication with each other. An identification mark reader 22 and an identification code conversion function are provided.
The sales terminal 21 and the delivery terminal 23 may be combined according to the scale of the seller.

The operation of the above configuration will be described.
Since the operation of the shipping process of this embodiment is the same as that of the first embodiment, the description thereof is omitted.
In this case, the transmission / reception executed in steps S 1, SR 4, S 7 is executed via the communication network 3.
In step S1, when a shipping notification is transmitted from the producer terminal 4, the manufacturer name is attached and transmitted, and the distribution management server 1 adds the manufacturer name to the product history information in addition to the product type and product information. Store. Thereby, distribution of goods in a plurality of producers can be managed by one distribution management server 1.

Goods shipped by the producer are delivered to the seller. The operation of the delivery process and the sales process in the seller in this case will be described.
In the sales terminal 21 and the delivery terminal 23 of this embodiment, the names of the sellers are stored in advance.
Since the product targeted by the product distribution system of this embodiment is a product that is sold directly to the consumer through the seller, the product produced by the manufacturer, etc. The data is transmitted to the distribution management server 1 of the distribution manager via the communication network 3.

That is, when the merchandise of the seller is delivered, the merchandise identification mark of the individual merchandise is read by the identification mark reading device 22 for all the merchandise delivered by the delivery terminal 23, and when the reading of all the identification marks is completed, Perform an end operation.
The delivery terminal 23 that has detected this uses the identification code conversion function to convert the identification mark into an identification code, and sends a delivery notification with all the identification codes converted to the stored seller names via the communication network 3. Transmit to distribution management server 1.

The distribution management server 1 that has received the delivery notice creates delivery information with the delivery notice attached using the received date and time as the delivery date and searches the merchandise history information database 2 based on the individual identification codes of the delivery notice and applies. Product history information is specified, and delivery information is added to this and stored.
Note that the delivery notice may be transmitted each time an individual identification mark is read.
Further, when an unregistered identification code is transmitted, the distribution management server 1 may notify the delivery terminal 23 to that effect.

When the merchant sells the product to the consumer, the clerk reads the identification mark of the product with the identification mark reading device 22 at the sales terminal 21 at the time of sale.
Upon detecting this, the sales terminal 21 converts the identification mark into an identification code using its identification code conversion function, and distributes the sales notification with the identification code converted into the stored seller name via the communication network 3. Send to server 1.

The distribution management server 1 that has received the sales notification creates sales information with the received date and time as the sales date and searches for the product history information database 2 based on the sales notification identification code, and the corresponding product history. Identify information and add sales information to it and store it.
Note that the identification code conversion function of the delivery terminal 23 and the sales terminal 21 is omitted and the identification mark image data read is attached and transmitted, and the distribution management server is the same as the inquiry by the consumer image in the first embodiment. Thus, the identification code may be read out.

Such delivery notifications and sales notifications are sent by each seller when there are a plurality of sellers in the distribution process. As a result, the location of the product to which one identification code is assigned is always clarified, and the location is managed by the distribution management server 1.
The following is the operation of a validity inquiry when a consumer purchases a product whose location is managed in this way.

The consumer photographs the identification mark with the camera-equipped mobile phone in the same manner as in the first embodiment, connects to the homepage of a distribution manager established in the communication network 3 before or after purchasing the product, and photographs according to the input procedure. The digital image data of the identification mark is transmitted to the distribution management server 1.
The distribution management server 1 that has received an inquiry about the legitimacy of the image of the identification mark from the consumer reads the identification code from the image data in the same manner as in the first embodiment, searches the product history information database 2 and searches for the corresponding product. Identify the history information, and if the read identification code is a registered identification code and is a sold product, authenticity is verified and the sender's mobile phone number, inquiry date, etc. are inquired. In addition to storing the specified product history information, and extracting all of the specified product history information or the stored product type, producer name, shipping location, shipping date, sales date, etc. Display on the mobile phone screen.

Further, when the seller makes an inquiry about the validity of the product using an image, it is stored as the seller inquiry information as in the first embodiment.
If the sales information after the delivery information is not stored, for example, if the consumer makes an inquiry before purchasing the product at the seller, the authenticity is temporarily verified and the consumer's name is confirmed. The merchandise history information including the prompt message and the delivery information is displayed on the screen of the camera-equipped mobile phone. As a result, when the consumer inquires about the legitimacy of the product before purchase, if the seller name matches, the product can be purchased with peace of mind, and if it does not match, it can be regarded as stolen goods or counterfeits. it can.

  If the identification code is not registered or the inquiry information for the same identification code has already been stored, it is determined that the identification mark is fraudulent and that fact (if the inquiry information already exists, the inquiry Display the message, etc.) on the screen of the camera-equipped mobile phone. As a result, the consumer can know the determination result of the validity of the purchased product and the product history information on the spot.

  As described above, the distribution management server 1 is installed in a distribution manager and distributed while managing the location of the merchandise, thereby managing the merchandise distribution of a large number of producers in one place. In addition to the legitimacy of the merchandise purchased by the consumer as well as the legitimacy of the seller, and can exert deterrence in the sale of counterfeit and stolen goods. It is possible to prevent unauthorized production and sales of goods.

In the above description, the case of commodities produced in the country has been described. However, in the case of imported commodities, merchandise history information is managed as follows.
In this case, a customs terminal having the same function as the delivery terminal 23 of the above-mentioned dealer is installed at a customs office provided at an airport or a port facility in Japan.
In addition, the distribution management server 1 of the distribution management company in Japan is connected to a similar distribution management server provided in the exporting country via an international communication network, and is an exporter that is a producer or distributor in the exporting country. The trader reads the identification mark of the product to be exported to the distribution manager in the exporting country and applies for export.

In this case, if the country name is added to the configuration of the identification code, it is possible to avoid duplication of the identification code uniquely assigned in each country.
The distribution manager in the exporting country that has accepted this export application adds the application as export information to the same product history information database as described above, and stores the product history information together with an identification code in Japan. The distribution manager in Japan registers the identification code attached to the product history information in the product history information database 2 and stores the product history information.

The goods imported into our country are brought into customs, and the customs officer reads the identification mark attached to the imported goods by the identification mark reading unit of the customs terminal. Upon detecting this, the customs terminal converts the read identification mark into an identification code, and transmits a customs notification with the customs name attached thereto to the distribution management server 1 via the communication network 3.
The distribution management server 1 that has received the customs notification identifies the relevant product history information in the product history information database 2 based on the identification code of the customs notification, and the customs clearance with the customs notification attached as the date and time when the customs notification was received Add and store information.

Subsequent delivery processing and sales processing operations by the seller and operation of legitimacy inquiry by the consumer are the same as described above.
If no distribution manager is established in the exporting country, the producer terminal 4 is provided at the customs office, and the product type, product information, function amount, and customs name of the product are entered by the input unit 14 of the producer terminal 4. The import notification corresponding to the shipping notification is input and transmitted to the distribution management server 1, and the distribution management server 1 adds an identification code to the distribution management server 1 and registers it in the product history information database 2, thereby producing the assigned identification code. The operator terminal 4 is attached to the imported product. The subsequent operation is the same as described above.

As described above, in this embodiment, in addition to the effects of the first embodiment, the distribution management server is installed in the distribution manager, thereby managing the distribution of the goods of many producers at one place. It is possible to simplify the distribution management system and to prevent the producers from working illegally.
In addition, by installing delivery terminals and sales terminals at distributors and sending delivery notices and sales notices, it is possible to always manage the location of products that are distributed, and the legitimacy of products purchased by consumers In addition, it is possible to know the legitimacy of the seller and prevent the production and sale of unauthorized products.

Furthermore, by installing a customs terminal at the customs office, it is possible to manage the distribution of imported products and to promote border measures for illegal products.
In this embodiment, the distribution management server of the distribution manager is provided in each country. However, if a global distribution manager or distribution management organization is provided to manage the distribution of goods internationally. In addition, the distribution management system can be further simplified, and fraudulent measures for fraudulent products can be performed more efficiently.

Block diagram showing the system configuration of the first embodiment The block diagram which shows the producer terminal of Example 1 Explanatory drawing which shows the identification mark of Example 1. Flow chart showing the shipping process of the first embodiment Block diagram showing the system configuration of the second embodiment

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Distribution management server 2 Merchandise history information database 3 Communication network 4 Producer terminal 5 Image acquisition apparatus 11 Main control part 12 Storage part 13 Display part 14 Input part 15 Printing part 21 Sales terminal 22 Identification mark reader 23 Delivery terminal

Claims (11)

A distribution management server that assigns an identification code to a product, a producer terminal that has a printing unit that prints the identification code as an identification mark, and an image acquisition device owned by a consumer,
When a product is produced, an identification mark generated based on the identification code given by the distribution management server is attached to the product by printing it with the printing unit, and an identification mark of the product purchased by the consumer using the image acquisition device A merchandise distribution management system characterized in that the product is inquired about the validity of the merchandise by transmitting the image to the distribution management server. In claim 1,
The distribution management server stores the product history information of the product corresponding to the identification code, and searches the product history information based on the image of the identification mark related to the inquiry to determine its validity. Product distribution management system characterized by that. In claim 1 or claim 2,
A merchandise distribution management system, wherein the identification mark is directly printed on the merchandise and attached. In claim 1, claim 2 or claim 3,
A merchandise distribution management system, wherein the identification mark is attached to a tag of the merchandise. In claim 1 to claim 3 or claim 4,
A merchandise distribution management system, wherein the identification mark is attached to a document attached to the merchandise. In claim 1 to claim 4 or claim 5,
A merchandise distribution management system, wherein the identification mark is directly printed on the merchandise container and attached. In claim 1 to claim 5 or claim 6,
The product distribution management system, wherein the printing unit of the producer terminal includes a printer having an inkjet print head having a relatively long ink reach. In claim 1 to claim 6 or claim 7,
The product distribution management system, wherein the identification code is a unique code for identifying each product. In claim 1 to claim 7 or claim 8,
The product distribution management system, wherein the identification mark is a two-dimensional barcode. In claim 1 to claim 8 or claim 9,
A merchandise distribution management system, wherein the image acquisition device is a camera-equipped mobile phone. In claim 1 to claim 9 or claim 10,
A merchandise distribution management system, wherein the distribution management server is installed in a distribution manager.