Patent ID: 8502646
Filing Date: 2013-08-06
Classification: G06Q

Abstract:
1. An article management apparatus that determines whether contents of a plurality of containers on which radio tags are respectively attached are compoundable with one another, comprising: a weighing scale; a weighing section configured to weigh the plurality of containers on the weighing scale as a total weight; a radio tag reading section configured to, in response to the weighing section beginning to weigh a first container and a second container of the plurality of containers, initiate communication with a first radio tag attached to the first container and a second radio tag attached to the second container, and read out, in a non-contact manner, first tag data of the first radio tag and second tag data of the second radio tag, wherein the first tag data comprises a first chemical substance identification code indicating first content in the first container and first compound data identifying one or more chemical substances which are able to be safely compounded with the first content, and wherein the second tag data comprises a second chemical substance identification code indicating second content in the second container and second compound data identifying one or more chemical substances which are able to be safely compounded with the second content; a compound determination section configured to determine whether the first chemical substance identification code is contained in the second compound data; and an informing section configured to notify a first result indicating that the first content is safely compoundable with the second content in response to a determination by the compound determination section that the first chemical substance identification code is contained in the second compound data, and to notify a second result indicating that the first content is not safely compoundable with the second content in response to a determination by the compound determination section that the first chemical substance is not contained in the second compound data.