Item inspection system, inspection method, and information processing apparatus

An inspection method for inspecting whether an item exists in a specific place using a portable system that is capable of reading, from a wireless device, identification information stored in the wireless device,

• wherein the portable system is capable of operating in one of a plurality of operation modes including a first operation mode for estimation of a position of the portable system and a second operation mode for the inspection on the item,
• the inspection method comprising:
• setting an operation mode of the portable system to the first operation mode;
• reading, by the portable system, identification information of a first wireless device from the first wireless device installed at a known position;
• estimating a position of the portable system based on a result of reading of the identification information from the first wireless device;
• guiding a user who uses the portable system for the inspection based on a position of the item indicated by position information stored in a database and an estimated position of the portable system;
• setting an operation mode of the portable system to the second operation mode;
• reading, by the portable system, identification information of a second wireless device from the second wireless device attached to the item;
• and
• determining that the item exists in the specific place in response to the identification information being read from the second wireless device while the portable system is operating in the second operation mode.

An information processing apparatus comprising:

• a communication unit configured to communicate with a portable system that is capable of reading, from a first wireless device installed at a known position and from a second wireless device attached to an item, identification information stored in respective wireless devices;
• a position estimation unit configured to estimate a position of the portable system based on a result of reading of identification information from the first wireless device by the portable system;
• and
• an inspection unit configured to inspect whether the item exists in a specific place based on a result of reading of identification information from the second wireless device by the portable system,
• wherein the portable system is capable of operating in one of a plurality of operation modes including a first operation mode for the estimation of a position of the portable system and a second operation mode for the inspection on the item, and
• the inspection unit is configured to:
• guide a user who uses the portable system for the inspection based on a position of the item indicated by position information stored in a database and a position of the portable system estimated by the position estimation unit;
• and
• determine that the item exists in the specific place in response to the identification information being read from the second wireless device while the portable system is operating in the second operation mode.