Abstract:
A food safety administration system for controlling safety of of food handling locations, wherein a mobile inspection terminal measures the temperature of an object under test or receives data on the pass or failure status of the object; a device records the temperature data and the pass or failure data, according to check items on a checklist; and a device controls the safety of the location and of the food therein using the temperature data and pass or failure data provided as test data by the mobile inspection terminal, whereby data is reliably and quickly checked without use of paper based data.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of Invention 
     This invention relates to a food safety administration system for controlling the hygiene or safety of food processing locations; and, mote particularly, to improvements therein which result in increased efficiency and elimination of paper based checklists. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     Every food processing location, such as food shops, food factories, and the like, use a HACCP system and is required to maintain and control records of test data. For example, conventionally, a food shop or the like has a human operator or checker check daily a number of various data, such as temperature, pass or failure data, etc, for hygenic control of food items, such as hamburgers. Then, the shop personnel fills in the results of the checking of various items onto a paper based check list. This practice might not be overwhelming or time consuming if only a single shop is involved. However, when a multitude of shops are involved in checking data every day, an enormous amount of paper work and human labor are consumed. Thus, the practice is an important issue involving economics and environmental concerns. The amount of paper which is involved can overwhelm the waste collection activity. Moreover, paper based recording of data involves use of a large amount of foreign matter into the work area. Accordingly, conventional data collection involves the added risk of introducing foreign matter into food preparation and cause other problems, from a hygenic standpoint. 
     Another disadvantage of the conventional system is that the human checker or operator must carry paper based checklists, writing apparatus, and thermometers in checking various data at various locations within the shop. Thus, at each location, the human checker must put down his instruments and thermometer,etc, take the readings, and then write down the data. Then, the human checker must repeat the procedure at the next location. As can be seen, the constant picking up, putting down, writing,etc, require an enormous amount of time. Thus, the conventional system is inefficient, time consuming, expensive and since it is based on human data taking and recording, subject to error. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Accordingly, an object of the invention is to overcome the aforementioned and other deficiencies, disadvantages, and problems of the prior art. 
     Another object is to provide a food safety administration system wherein data is checked with high speed, high efficiency, and reliability, without requirement of paper based documents. 
     The foregoing and other objects are attained by the invention which encompasses a food safety administration system comprising a mobile inspection terminal for measuring temperature of an object and for receiving data on pass or fail of the object according to check items on a checklist, means for recording the temperature data and pass or fail data, and means for controlling the safety of the shop, factor or other food processing location using the temperature data and pass or fail data provided by the mobile inspection terminal. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a block diagram depicting an illustrative embodiment of the invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a schematic view depicting the face of the mobile inspection terminal of FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 3 is a chart depicting the checklist of FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 4 is a flow chart depicting operation of the mobile inspection terminal of FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 5 is a flow chart depicting details on the step of process of temperature of FIG.  4 . 
     FIG. 6 is a chart depicting an example of a data sheet of FIG.  1 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     FIG. 1 shows an illustrative embodiment of the invention and FIG. 2 shows an external face of the mobile inspection terminal  100  of FIG. 1. A sensor probe, which would otherwise be connected to the top end of terminal  100  is omitted from FIG.  2 . In FIG. 1, mobile inspection terminal  100  is of a portable size and is designed to communicate with a computer  200 . The method of communication can be wired communication, wireless communication, optical communication, etc. Mobile inspection terminal  100  comprises a storage unit  110 , temperature measuring means  120 , a clock  130 , a controller  140 , input means  150 , speaker  160 , and a display  170 (which can be liquid crystal display). Computer  200  comprises a storage unit  210 , a controller  220 , input means  230 , and a display  240 . 
     Storage unit  110 , is for example, a memory device, and stores a checker list  111 , a checklist  112 , and test data  113 . Checker list  111  is a list of checker data items. Checklist  112  is a list of check items to be checked. Test data  113  is the result of checking the check items. Temperature measuring means  120  measures the temperature of an object under test, such as food or a refrigerator. Clock  130  outputs data and/or time data. Controller  140  is connected to storage unit  110 , temperature measuring means  120 , clock  130 , input means  150 , speaker  160  and display  170 . 
     Controller  140  comprises transmission/reception means  141 , checker selection means  142 , item selection means  143  and data processing means  144 . Transmission/reception means  141  exchanges data with computer  200  and writes data into storage unit  110  or reads data therefrom. Checker selection means  142  selects from checker data items on checker list  111  in storage unit  110  to cause the data items to be shown on display  170 . Item selection means  143  selects from check items on checklist  112  in storage unit  110  to cause the check item to be shown on display  170 . Data processing means  144  accepts the input of checker data from checker selection means  142 , input of a check item from item selection means  143 , input of temperature data from temperature measuring means  120 , and input of data and/or time data from clock  130 . The data processing means  144  then processes data according to the check item, causes the result of the data processing to be shown on display  170 , provides sounds to the speaker  160 , and stores the result of checking of the check items in storage unit  110  as an item of test data  113 , and furthermore stores the data and/or time data, the check item and checker data. 
     Input means  150  comprises, for example, button  151  to  156  (see FIG. 2) and orders checker selection means  142  and item selection means  143  to select a checker data item and a check item, respectively. Input means  150  also orders data processing means  144  to acquire temperature data from temperature measuring means  120  or receives as input the pass or fail data (e.g. OK/NG as shown in FIG.  2 ). 
     As shown in FIG. 2, button  151  is an OK button; button  152  is a SELECT button; button  153  is a POWER button; button  154  is an NG button; button  155  is a CHECKER button; and button  156  is a VERIFY button. 
     Storage unit  210  is, for example, a hard disk and stores checker list  211 , checklist  212 , test data  213 , original sheet  214 , and data sheet  215 . Checker list  211 , checklist  212  and test data  213  can be the same as the checker list  111 , check list  112 , and test data  113  in the storage unit  110 . Original sheet  214  is a sheet used to create data sheet  215 . Data sheet  215  is a sheet obtained by recording test data  213  on original sheet  214  and is also a table of the results of checking the check items. 
     Controller  220  is connected to storage unit  210 , input means  230 , and display  240 , and comprises editing means  221 , sheet creating means  222 , and transmission/reception means  223 . Editing means  221  causes checker list  211  an checklist  212  in storage unit  210  to be shown on display  240  so that the lists may be edited. Sheet creation means  222  creates data sheet  215  from test data  213  and original sheet  214  and causes the data sheet to be shown on display  240 . Transmission/reception means  223  exchanges data with mobile inspection terminal  100  and writes data into storage unit  210  and reads data therefrom. 
     Input means  230  is, for example, a keyboard or a mouse and provides instructions to the editing means  221 , sheet creation means  222  and transmission/reception means  223 . 
     Operation of the system of FIG. 1 is as follows, beginning with the preprocessing carried out prior to the checking of data. Editing means  221 , as instructed by input means  230 , causes checker list  211  and checklist  212  to be shown on display  240 , and edits the lists, or creates new lists, and causes the storage thereof in storage unit  210 . Checklist  212  is created in the format shown in FIG. 3, wherein column a “Check Item” lists data items to be measured or checked; column b “Verification” identifies whether or not input of the result of checking each item in column a should be verified; column c “Recording Method” shows type of test data  113 , i.e. OK/NG, temperature, average temperature, or minimum temperature; Column d “Lower Temperature Limit” denotes the lower limit of temperature measurement criteria; Column e “Lower-Limit Alarm”, shows whether any lower limit is set in column d and the corresponding field of column e is set to ON, then an alarm is enabled; Column f “Upper Temperature Limit” denotes the upper limit of temperature measurement criteria; Column g “Upper-Limit Alarm” shows whether any upper limit is set in column f and corresponding field of column g is set to ON, then the alarm is enabled; and Column h “Alarm Inversion” is set to OFF when the alarm is turned ON for temperature outside the upper and lower limits of a given reference temperature, or is set to ON when the alarm is turned ON for temperatures within the upper and lower limits. The conditions set in columns d, e, f, g, and h serve as those of an average temperature or minimum temperature when that type of temperature is set in column c. 
     Input means  230  instructs transmission/reception means  223  to read checker list  211  and checklist  212  from storage unit  210 , and to sent the lists to the mobile inspection terminal  100 . Transmission/reception means  141  receives the lists and stores the lists in storage unit  110 . 
     The process of checked data is explained with reference to FIG. 4 which is a flow chart showing behavior of terminal  100  and also with reference to FIG. 5 which is another flow chart showing more details of the processing of temperature data, ie step S 4  in FIG.  4 . For steps S 1 -S 6 , see FIG. 4, and for steps S 41 -S 47  see FIG.  5 . 
     Button  153  is pressed to turn ON mobile inspection terminal  100 . Then, upon pressing button  155 , checker selection means  142  reads checker list  111  from storage unit  110  and causes checker data to be shown on display  170 . Upon pressing button  152 , checker selection means  142  scrolls through a list of checker data items on display  170 . Upon pressing button  151 , a checker data item is selected and checker selection means  142  sends the data item to data processing means  144  (Step S 1 ). Upon pressing button  152 , item selection means  143  reads checklist  112  from storage unit  110  and causes an item of column a to be shown in the upper section of display  170 . When the option for column c is OK/NG, item selection means  141  causes OK/NG to be shown in the lower section of display  170 . When the option is temperature, item selection means  143  causes the temperature range defined by column d and column f to be shown in the lower section of display  170 . These readings are made to disappear in a few seconds. Then, data processing means  144  acquires time data from clock  130  to cause the time to be shown in the upper section of display  170  and acquires temperature data from temperature measuring means  120  to cause the temperature to be shown in the lower section of display  170 . Item selection means  143  also sends check items (i.e. data items selected for column a, column b, column c, column d, column e, column f, column g, and column h) to data processing means  144  (Step S 2 ). 
     When the option for column c is temperature, temperature data is processed (Step S 3  and S 4 ). More specifically, a sensor probe, not shown in FIG. 2, is brought into contact with the object under test. Upon pressing button  151 , data processing means  144  receives as an input temperature data from temperature measuring means  120  and input of date and/or time data from clock  130 . Then, data processing means  144  stores the data items in storage unit  110  as items of test data  113 , and data in column a and checker data.(Step S 41 ) 
     When no entry is made in the Present Number of Times field of a cell under column c, data processing means  144  also receives as input temperature data from temperature measuring means  120  and date and/or time data from clock  130  upon pressing of button  151  again. Then, data processing means  144  also stores these data items in storage unit  110  as items of test data  113  and data in column a and checker data (Steps S 42  and S 41 ). When an entry is made in the Preset Number of Times field, data processing means  144  proceeds to the next process step. (Step S 42 ). 
     In a further step, data processing means  144  checks column c (Step S 43 ). When the Preset Number of Times field of a cell under column c is set to “once”, data processing means  144  proceeds to the next process. When “average temperature” is specified for a cell under column c, data processing means  144  reads as many temperature data items as the preset number of times from test data  113  in storage unit  110 , calculates the average temperature, and cause the temperature to be shown on display  170  (Step S 44 ). When “minimum temperature” is specified for the cell under column c, data processing means  144  reads as many temperature data items as the preset number of times from test data  113  in storage unit  110 , calculates or selects the minimum temperature, and causes the temperature to be shown on display  170  (Step S 45 ). Upon pressing button  151 , data processing means  144  stores the average or minimum temperature shown on the display  170  in storage unit  110  as an item of test data  113  and data in column a and checker data (Step S 46 ). 
     In a further step, data processing means  144  causes an alarm to be sounded through speaker  160  when the temperature data to be stored in storage unit  110  satisfies the conditions set in column d, column e, column f, column g, and column h of the checklist  112 . Hence, the checker can readily known whether or not the result of temperature measurement satisfies a given reference temperature requirement. 
     In the case where the OK/NG option is selected for a cell under column c, OK is inputted upon pressing button  151  and NG is inputted upon pressing button  154 . Data processing means  144  stores the date and/or time data of clock  130 , OK/NG data, checker data and data in column a in storage unit  110  as items of test data  113  (Step S 5 ). 
     When there is a check item or items to be checked, the checker presses button  152  again. Item selection means  143  reads the next check item from checklist  112  in storage unit  110  and causes the item to be shown in display  170 ,in order to repeat the foregoing process steps (Steps S 6  and S 2 ). When the checker is through with all check items, the process of checking data is completed (Step S 6 ). 
     Upon pressing button  156 , item selection means  143  checks the checklist  112  and test data  113  in storage unit  110 . Then, item selection means  143  causes the display  170  to show the number of check items for which column b of checklist  112  is set to ON and for which no test data is provided. By pressing button  152 , the checker can successively show the check items under column a that lack test data, in order to proceed with the above process of checking data. 
     Finally, post-processing using computer  200  is discussed with reference to FIG.  1 . When an instruction to transmit data is provided by input means  230 , transmission/reception means  233  requests transmission/reception means  141  to send data. Then, transmission/reception means  141  reads the test data  113  from storage unit  110  to send the data to transmission/reception means  223 . Transmission/reception means  223  stores the received data in storage unit  210  as test data  213 . 
     Input means  230  instructs sheet creation means  222  to create a data sheet, such as data sheet  215  shown in FIG. 6, from test data  213  and original sheet  214  stored in storage unit  210 . Sheet creation means  222  then causes the data sheet to be shown on display  240  and causes the storage of the sheet in storage unit  210 . More specifically, test data  213  is applied to table cells enclosed by the dotted lines A in FIG. 6, thereby creating data sheet  215 . At this point, the checker data item highest on the list is entered into each checker field. 
     To be more specific, sheet creation means  222  comprises table calculation and processing means, e.g. spreadsheet software by Microsoft Excel, and of a macroprogram for creating data sheet  215  by combining test data  213  and original sheet  214 . Accordingly, the macroprogram, test data  213 , original sheet  214 , and data sheet  215  are integrated into a single data file in most cases when sheet creation means uses table calculation and processing means. 
     The food safety administration system of the invention has the following and other advantages and effects. 
     (1) Mobile inspection terminal  100  is used to record temperature data and to receive pass or failure data. Hence, there is no need for recording data on sheets of actual paper. Accordingly, the human checker or operator can readily check data with high efficiency, greater realibility, and greater savings in cost. The operating system is paperless. 
     (2) By referring to the checklist  112  and test data  113 , item selection means  143  of mobile inspection terminal  100  causes selection and display of the check items which lack corresponding test data. Hence, it is possible to prevent erroneous omission of any check item 
     (3) Mobile inspection terminal  100  displays the upper and lower limits of each reference temperature and check items. Hence, there is no need for the human checker to remember the limits. Accordingly, mistakes in checking data are prevented from occurring. 
     (4) Checker selection means  142  selects checker data from checker list  111 . The mobile inspection terminal  100  then handles the checker data as an item of test data  113 . Hence, it is possible to readily recognize who is responsible for the given test results. 
     (5) Mobile inspection terminal  100  handles the date and/or time from clock  130  as an item of test data  113 . Hence, it is possible to record the date and/or time of test results. 
     (6) Test data  113  is transferred from the mobile inspection terminal  100  to computer  200 . Sheet creation means  222  then creates data sheet  215  from test data  213  and original sheet  214 . Hence, it is easy, with the invention, to summarize the test results. 
     (7) Checklist  212  is edited using editing means  221  of computer  200  and is sent to mobile inspection terminal  100 . Hence, it is easy to reorder and/or increase and/or decrease the check items on the checklist  212  provided as a standard. Accordingly, the human checker can sequentially show check items tailored to a particular food shop or location, irrespective of how the equipment layout or number of equipment differs from shop or location to shop or location, thus increasing work efficiency greatly. 
     (8) Checker list  211  is edited using editing means  221  of computer  200  and is sent to mobile inspection terminal  100 . Hence, it is easy, with the invention, to rapidly change checker data. 
     The invention is not to be considered to be limited to the foregoing description. Although in one aspect, the pass or failure data is represented as OK/NG, such a representation as YES/NO, OK/NO or GOOD/BAD may be used instead. In fact, any representation is acceptable as long as the pass or failure judgment is made. 
     In another aspect of the invention, data processing means  144  stores the checker data in storage unit  110  for each temperature or checker data item. Alternatively, the checker data may be stored for a series of check items. 
     Similarly, data processing means  144  stores check items in the storage unit  110  for each temperature or checker data item. Alternatively, in the system each check item may be stored as an item of test data  113  when selected by the item selection means  143 . Moreover, although the data processing means  144  is discussed as not storing check items as items of the test data  113 , the data processing means  144  may store each check item in a location within storage unit  110  corresponding to that check item. Thus, the check item may be identified according to the location thereof within the storage unit  110 . 
     In a further aspect of the invention, test data  113  is transferred from mobile inspection terminal  100  to computer  200  so that data sheet  215  is created. Alternatively, the test data  113  may be stored in a database. This system of the invention makes possible food safety administration in a reliable,fast, and paperless manner. 
     In another aspect of the invention, sheet creation means  222  creates the data sheet  215  from test data and original sheet  214 . Alternatively, the sheet creation means  222  may create data sheet  215  from test data  213  only and without using original sheet  214 . 
     A further aspect of the invention encompasses the mobile inspection terminal  100  comprising temperature measuring means  120 . Alternatively, the terminal  100  may comprise means for measuring various variables,such as wind speed, humidity, noise, voltage, current, etc, and the date and/or time the data is thus measured, and such other data may be added to the test data. 
     The invention is applicable to control safety and other factors involved in foods, food preparation, as well as such safety and other factors in and about food locations, such as food shops, cafeterias, kitchens, food factories, restaurants, take out type food stores, fast food restaurants, and wherever food is prepared and/or served, including institutions, hospitals, companies, schools, etc. 
     The foregoing description is illustrative of the principles of the invention. Numerous extensions and modifications thereof would be apparent to the worker skilled in the art. All such extensions and modifications are to be considered to be within the spirit and scope of the invention.