Matching system

Abstract

To improve efficiency of logistics work by matching a warehouse owner owning a warehouse with a warehouse use requester who requests to store luggage in the warehouse.SOLUTION: A warehouse owner side conditions acquisition unit 111 acquires warehouse owner side conditions transmitted from a warehouse business operator terminal 2. A warehouse use requester side conditions acquiring unit 112 obtains warehouse use requester side conditions transmitted from a shipper terminal 3. A matching instruction unit 113 determines whether or not there is a matching instruction from the warehouse business operator terminal 2 or the shipper terminal 3. A route calculation unit 114 performs matching on the basis of the warehouse owner side conditions and the warehouse use requester side conditions to calculate a route in each combination. A matching candidate extraction unit 115 extracts a matching candidate on the basis of information on the route calculated by the route calculation unit 114. A notification unit 116 notifies the warehouse business operator terminal 2 or the shipper terminal 3 of the matching candidate.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a matching system. [Background technology]

[0002] Until now, there has been no database that transcends the boundaries of logistics companies and collects information about vacant warehouses across the country or about the cargo of shippers who want to use vacant warehouses. Instead, the logistics industry has relied on word of mouth and sales made through individual visits to acquire vacant warehouses and shippers. Even after securing candidates for vacant warehouses and shippers, procedures such as warehouse inspections, negotiations, and contracts are still required, so it can take several months to a year from securing a candidate before the vacant warehouse can begin to be used. In other words, the situation is not very convenient for warehouse owners who want to provide vacant warehouses, or for shippers who want to use vacant warehouses. In response to this, technology related to a search system for vacant properties has been proposed (see, for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2003-256534 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, with the technology described in Patent Document 1, when the number of properties returned by a search is enormous, the user must refer to each candidate property one by one to extract the property that best suits the user's needs, which is not very convenient.

[0005] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned situation, and aims to improve the efficiency of logistics operations by matching warehouse owners with warehouse users who wish to store goods in their warehouses. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to achieve the above object, a matching system according to one aspect of the present invention comprises: In a matching system used to match warehouse owners with users who wish to store their goods in the warehouse, a warehouse owner condition acquisition means for acquiring conditions related to warehouses that are available for use among the warehouses owned by the warehouse owner as warehouse owner conditions; a warehouse utilization applicant side condition acquisition means for acquiring conditions related to the luggage that the warehouse utilization applicant wishes to store as warehouse utilization applicant side conditions; a matching candidate extraction means for extracting, as a matching candidate, a warehouse owned by the warehouse owner that can store the goods desired to be stored by the warehouse user, or a goods desired to be stored by the warehouse user that can be stored in the warehouse owned by the warehouse owner, based on the warehouse owner's conditions and the warehouse user's conditions; a notification means for notifying at least one of the warehouse user and the warehouse owner of information regarding the warehouse or the cargo determined as the matching candidate; Equipped with. Effect of the Invention

[0007] According to the present invention, it is possible to match warehouse owners who own warehouses with warehouse users who wish to store goods in the warehouse, thereby improving the efficiency of logistics operations. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] A diagram showing an overview of a warehouse matching service that can be realized by a matching system according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] 1 is a configuration diagram of a matching system including a server according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 3] 3 is a block diagram showing the hardware configuration of a server in the matching system of FIG. 2. [Figure 4] 4 is a functional block diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of the server, the warehouse operator terminal, and the shipper terminal of FIG. 3. [Diagram 5] 4 is a flowchart illustrating the flow of a matching process executed by the server shown in FIG. 3. [Figure 6] 13 is a diagram showing an example of an operation screen displayed on a shipper terminal for inputting warehouse utilization request conditions. FIG. [Figure 7] 7 is a diagram showing an example of an operation screen displayed on the shipper terminal for inputting warehouse utilization applicant conditions, and is a diagram different from FIG. 6. [Figure 8] 13 is a diagram showing an example of an operation screen for searching and inquiring about a shipper, which is displayed on a warehouse operator terminal. FIG. [Figure 9] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of an operation screen for warehouse search and inquiry, which is displayed on a shipper terminal. [Figure 10] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an overview of a warehouse matching service, and is a diagram different from FIG. 1. [Figure 11] FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of implementation of an efficient matching process executed by the server in FIG. 3. [Figure 12] FIG. 14 is a diagram showing an implementation example of the efficient matching process executed by the server in FIG. 3, which is different from FIG. 11. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0009] First, before describing an embodiment of the present invention, an overview of a warehouse matching service that can be realized by a matching system according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

[0010] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an overview of a warehouse matching service that can be realized by a matching system according to one embodiment of the present invention. The warehouse matching service is a service that matches a warehouse operator W that owns a warehouse with a shipper G who wishes to store goods in the warehouse, and supports various procedures until the shipper G begins using the warehouse.

[0011] First, in step ST1, the warehouse operator W and the shipper G operate the warehouse operator terminal 2 and the shipper terminal 3 to access the matching website L and register an account. The account information registered here is, specifically, for example, the company information, account information, contact information of the person in charge, etc., of the warehouse operator W and the shipper G. Furthermore, the registered details are retained until the warehouse operator W and the shipper G cancel the account registration due to reasons such as terminating the use of the warehouse matching service, or until they change the registered details. Therefore, the account registration only needs to be done once at the beginning of the use of the warehouse matching service. After that, the use of the warehouse matching service can be started by logging in with the ID given at the time of account registration.

[0012] Here, the matching website L is a website for registering an account required to use the warehouse matching service, registering information about warehouses and packages (described later), and logging in. The matching website L is managed by the service provider S.

[0013] The warehouse operator W logs into the matching website L using the ID given at the time of registering the account. The warehouse operator W then inputs information about the warehouse that can be provided on the warehouse information input screen. Examples of information about warehouses include the location of the warehouse, the type of warehouse (commercial or rental), the facilities, the hours during which the warehouse can be received (business hours), drawings, the size of the rental space, and the rental period.

[0014] The warehouse operator W inputs information about the warehouse and decides whether or not to agree to the user terms. The user terms are the agreements made with the service provider S when using the warehouse matching service. Specifically, for example, these include the agreements regarding the insurance provided by the service provider S, the agreements regarding the contract template, and the agreements regarding the use of a payment agency. By agreeing to these terms and conditions, warehouse operator W will be able to receive warehouse matching services from step ST2 onwards.

[0015] The shipper G logs in to the matching website L using the assigned ID, etc. Then, the shipper G inputs information about the cargo he / she wishes to store in the warehouse into the cargo information input screen. The information about the cargo includes, for example, the desired time of use, the characteristics of the contents, the size of the cargo, the packing style, whether or not additional work is required, the name of the shipper, and information about the truck to be used for transporting the cargo.

[0016] The shipper G inputs information about the package and determines whether or not to agree to the above-mentioned terms and conditions for users. By agreeing to these terms and conditions, shipper G will be able to receive warehouse matching services from step ST2 onwards.

[0017] The information entered by the warehouse operator W and the shipper G is stored in an input information database D via a matching website L. In this manner, the service provider S receives input of information about the warehouse from the warehouse operator W as a warehouse owner's condition, and information about the cargo from the shipper G as a warehouse user's condition.

[0018] In step ST2, the service provider S attempts to match the warehouse owner's conditions with the warehouse user's conditions. If the warehouse owner's conditions match the conditions of the person wishing to use the warehouse, in step ST3, the service provider S presents matching candidates to at least one of the warehouse operator W or the shipper G via a matching website L. At this time, the service provider S, as a customer support SA1, may communicate with the warehouse operator W or the shipper G regarding matching. Specifically, for example, chat may be conducted via a matching website L, or communication may be conducted via e-mail or telephone.

[0019] From the presented matching candidates, the warehouse operator W or the shipper G selects at least one candidate as a matching partner. If the type of the warehouse where the match is established is a commercial warehouse, the warehouse operator W and the shipper G enter into a deposit contract in step ST4. The deposit contract here is a so-called cargo storage contract in which the warehouse operator W who stores the cargo promises to store the cargo to the shipper G who requests storage of the cargo. The template for the deposit contract is provided by the service provider S as described above. It is generally said that it often takes time to create a template when concluding a contract. In other words, the warehouse operator W and the shipper G can proceed with the procedure according to the ready-made template provided by the service provider S, so that the contract can be concluded quickly.

[0020] In step ST5, the service provider S applies for comprehensive business insurance to an insurance agency via the matching website L. Comprehensive business insurance is insurance that provides comprehensive coverage for damage to a company's assets caused by fire, natural disasters, accidents, etc. In step ST6, the comprehensive corporate insurance contracted by the service provider S is insured for the warehouse operator W. This eliminates the need for the warehouse operator W to use the insurance that is insured separately, except in cases where damage exceeds the insured amount.

[0021] In step ST7, the service provider S requests the payment agency via the matching website L to perform payment on his / her behalf. By having the payment process carried out through a factoring company that handles the payment on behalf of the warehouse operator W or the service provider S, the warehouse operator W or the service provider S does not need to conduct a credit check on the shipper G by themselves. In addition, the warehouse operator W can receive the warehouse usage fee in advance. And the shipper G can use the warehouse with the agreement to pay the warehouse usage fee later. In step ST8, when the warehouse operator W receives the payment of the settlement amount (warehouse usage fee) from the settlement agent, the procedure proceeds to step ST9.

[0022] In step ST9, the warehouse operator W and the shipper G enter into a contract and communicate with each other regarding the entry and exit of goods via the matching website L. At this time, the service provider S may, as a customer support SA2, handle transactions regarding contract conclusion and warehousing and shipping between the three parties, the service provider S, the warehouse operator W, and the shipper G. Specifically, for example, chat may be conducted via a matching website L, or transactions may be conducted via e-mail, telephone, etc. Here too, a template provided by the service provider S is used as the contract, but the template may also be provided to the warehouse operator W and the shipper G via chat. In this way, the warehouse operator W, the shipper G, and the service provider S can communicate about the contract through chat. This allows for a timely exchange of opinions about the contract contents, making it possible to expedite the process up to the contract. When a contract is concluded between the warehouse operator W and the shipper G, in step ST10, the shipper G pays the settlement amount to the settlement agent.

[0023] As described above, by using a warehouse matching service that matches warehouse operators W and shippers G and supports various procedures until shippers G begin using the warehouse, warehouse operators W and shippers G can efficiently complete the procedures to use the warehouse. It is generally said that it takes at least several months to a year from when a shipper G starts searching for a warehouse to when they can start using the warehouse, including viewing the warehouse, negotiating, and signing a contract. By using the warehouse matching service, however, shipper G can start using the warehouse on average in about 12 business days from when they start searching for a warehouse. Currently, large warehouse spaces are often provided for long periods of time, and for surplus space or short-term use, potential customers are generally acquired through word of mouth or individual inquiries. In other words, in the past, vacant warehouses, including surplus space, were not used efficiently. In contrast, by using a warehouse matching service, surplus space can be provided in a short cycle. For example, after a long-term lease ends and before the next contract begins, or for space that becomes vacant temporarily due to the owner's circumstances, it can be provided for as short a period as one day.

[0024] In summary, by using the warehouse matching service, warehouse operator W can immediately rent out surplus warehouses even for short periods of time. And shipper G can immediately start using the warehouse of his / her choice when he / she wants to use it. In other words, logistics efficiency can be improved.

[0025] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of a matching system including a server according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0026] A matching system according to one embodiment of the present invention is configured to include a server 1, warehouse operator terminals 2-1 to 2-m (m is any integer value equal to or greater than 1), shipper terminals 3-1 to 3-n (n is any integer value equal to or greater than 1), and a service provider terminal 4. Note that the server 1 is managed by the service provider S. The warehouse operator terminals 2-1 to 2-m are managed by a warehouse operator W. The shipper terminals 3-1 to 3-n are managed by a shipper G. Furthermore, the service provider terminal 4 is managed by the service provider S. The server 1, the warehouse operator terminals 2-1 to 2-m, the shipper terminals 3-1 to 3-n, and the service provider terminal 4 are connected to one another via a predetermined network N such as the Internet.

[0027] In the following, when there is no need to distinguish between the warehouse operator terminals 2-1 to 2-m individually, they will be collectively referred to as the "warehouse operator terminal 2," and further, when there is no need to distinguish between the shipper terminals 3-1 to 3-n individually, they will be collectively referred to as the "shipper terminal 3."

[0028] FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a hardware configuration of the server 1 in the matching system of FIG. The server 1 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 11, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 12, a RAM (Random Access Memory) 13, a bus 14, an input / output interface 15, an output unit 16, an input unit 17, a memory unit 18, a communication unit 19, and a drive 20.

[0029] The CPU 11 executes various processes according to various programs recorded in the ROM 12 or various programs loaded from the storage unit 18 to the RAM 13 . The RAM 13 also stores data necessary for the CPU 11 to execute various processes.

[0030] The CPU 11, ROM 12, and RAM 13 are connected to one another via a bus 14. An input / output interface 15 is also connected to this bus 14. An output unit 16, an input unit 17, a storage unit 18, a communication unit 19, and a drive 20 are connected to the input / output interface 15.

[0031] The output unit 16 is composed of various liquid crystal displays and the like, and outputs various information. The input unit 17 is composed of various hardware devices and receives various types of information. The storage unit 18 is composed of a hard disk, a DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory), etc., and stores various data. The communication unit 19 controls communications with other devices (the warehouse operator terminal 2, the shipper terminal 3, and the service provider terminal 4 in FIG. 2) via a network N including the Internet.

[0032] The drive 20 is provided as necessary. Removable media 21, such as a magnetic disk, an optical disk, a magneto-optical disk, or a semiconductor memory, is appropriately mounted in the drive 20. A program read from the removable media 21 by the drive 20 is installed in the storage unit 18 as necessary. The removable media 21 can also store various data stored in the storage unit 18 in the same manner as the storage unit 18.

[0033] The hardware configurations of the warehouse operator terminal 2, the shipper terminal 3, and the service provider terminal 4 are basically the same as the configuration of the server 1, so the description thereof will be omitted here.

[0034] Next, with reference to FIG. 4, the functional configurations of the server 1, the warehouse operator terminal 2-P, and the shipper terminal 3-K shown in FIG. 3 will be described. FIG. 4 is a functional block diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of the server, the warehouse operator terminal, and the shipper terminal of FIG.

[0035] In the CPU 11 of the server 1, a warehouse owner side condition acquisition unit 111, a warehouse use applicant side condition acquisition unit 112, a matching instruction unit 113, a route calculation unit 114, a matching candidate extraction unit 115, and a notification unit 116 function. In one area of ​​the memory unit 18 of the server 1, a warehouse owner side condition DB 181, a warehouse use applicant side condition DB 182, and a delivery information DB 183 are provided. In the CPU 21 of the warehouse operator terminal 2-P, an input reception unit 210, an input information transmission control unit 212, a matching candidate acquisition unit 213, and a display control unit 214 function. In the CPU 31 of the shipper terminal 3-K, an input reception unit 310, an input reception unit 311, a matching candidate acquisition unit 313, and a display control unit 314 function.

[0036] The input receiving unit 211 of the warehouse operator terminal 2-P receives warehouse owner conditions input by touch operation of the warehouse operator W via the touch operation input unit 271. Specifically, for example, the input receiving unit 211 receives information on the warehouse operator Wp's warehouse location, warehouse type (commercial or rental), facilities, available hours (business hours), drawings, rental space size, rental period, etc. That is, the input receiving unit 211 receives, for each of the predetermined items set by the service provider S, conditions regarding the warehouse desired to be provided by the warehouse operator Wp as warehouse owner's conditions. The input information transmission control unit 212 executes control for transmitting the warehouse owner's conditions accepted by the input accepting unit 211 to the server 1 via the communication unit 29 . In this way, the warehouse owner's conditions transmitted to the server 1 are acquired by the server 1. The server 1 then combines the warehouse owner's conditions with the warehouse user's conditions, which will be described later, to extract matching candidates, and notifies at least one of the warehouse operator terminal 2-P and the shipper terminal 3-K of the results. The matching candidate acquisition unit 213 of the warehouse operator terminal 2-P acquires the matching candidates notified in this manner from the server 1. Furthermore, the display control unit 214 executes control for displaying the matching candidates acquired by the matching candidate acquisition unit 213 on the display unit 272.

[0037] The input receiving unit 311 of the shipper terminal 3-K receives the warehouse utilization applicant's conditions input by the shipper Gk through the touch operation input unit 371 by touch operation. Here, the conditions for those who wish to use the warehouse refer to information about the cargo that the shipper G wishes to store. Specifically, this includes information about the period when the warehouse is to be used, the characteristics of the contents, size, packing style, incidental work, the shipper, and information about the truck that will carry the cargo. That is, the input receiving unit 311 receives conditions regarding the cargo that the shipper Gk wishes to store for the predetermined items set by the service provider S as conditions for the warehouse utilization applicant. The input information transmission control unit 312 executes control for transmitting the warehouse utilization applicant conditions accepted by the input acceptance unit 311 to the server 1 via the communication unit 39 . In this way, the warehouse utilization applicant's conditions transmitted to the server 1 are acquired by the server 1. The server 1 then combines the warehouse utilization applicant's conditions with the above-mentioned warehouse owner's conditions to extract matching candidates, and notifies at least one of the shipper terminal 3-K and the warehouse operator terminal 2-P of the results. The matching candidate acquisition unit 313 of the shipper terminal 3-K acquires the matching candidates notified in this manner from the server 1. Furthermore, the display control unit 314 executes control for displaying the matching candidates acquired by the matching candidate acquisition unit 313 on the display unit 372.

[0038] The warehouse owner's condition acquisition unit 111 of the server 1 acquires, as the warehouse owner's conditions, conditions related to warehouses that are owned by the warehouse business operator W and that are available for use. Specifically, the warehouse owner's condition acquisition unit 111 acquires the warehouse owner's conditions transmitted from the warehouse operator terminal 2-P via the communication unit 19. Then, the information about the warehouse acquired by the warehouse owner's condition acquisition unit 111 is stored in the warehouse owner's condition DB 181. The warehouse utilization applicant side condition acquisition unit 112 of the server 1 acquires conditions related to the cargo that the shipper G desires to store as the warehouse utilization applicant side conditions. Specifically, the warehouse use applicant condition acquisition unit 112 acquires the warehouse use applicant condition transmitted from the shipper terminal 3-K via the communication unit 19. Then, the information on the cargo acquired by the warehouse use applicant condition acquisition unit 112 is stored in the warehouse use applicant condition DB 182.

[0039] The matching instruction unit 113 of the server 1 acquires a matching instruction transmitted from at least one of the warehouse operator terminal 2-P and the shipper terminal 3-K via the communication unit 19. Then, the matching instruction unit 113 calls up the warehouse owner's conditions from the warehouse owner's conditions DB 181 and the warehouse user desirer's conditions from the warehouse user desirer's conditions DB 182, respectively.

[0040] Based on specified information, the route calculation unit 114 of the server 1 calculates a route that includes at least one of the warehouses owned by the warehouse operator W as a route that can be used to transport the luggage desired to be stored by the shipper G. Specifically, the route calculation unit 114 performs matching based on the conditions of the warehouse owner and the conditions of the warehouse user who wishes to use the warehouse, and calculates a route for each of the matched combinations.

[0041] The matching candidate extraction unit 115 of the server 1 extracts, as matching candidates, warehouses owned by the warehouse operator W that can store the cargo desired to be stored by the shipper G, or, from the cargo desired to be stored by the shipper G, that can be stored in a warehouse owned by the warehouse operator W, based on the results of at least one of the routes calculated by the route calculation unit 114 in addition to the conditions of the warehouse owner and the conditions of the person wishing to use the warehouse. Specifically, for example, the matching candidate extraction unit 115 may extract, as a matching candidate, a warehouse operator Wp that owns a warehouse located on a route that is considered to be more convenient from among the routes calculated by the route calculation unit 114. Here, a route with high convenience may be, for example, a route that is close in distance, has a short travel time, does not include urban areas, has low transportation costs, etc., but is not limited to these. The shipper G may freely set the items that he / she wants to prioritize as convenience.

[0042] The logic underlying the matching process will be explained below with a concrete example. For example, the desired area of ​​use (prefecture name) entered by the shipper Gk as a condition for the warehouse user is matched with a warehouse operator Wp that owns a warehouse that exactly matches the desired area of ​​use, is located within the desired prefecture, or is within the trade area of ​​the shipper Gk that includes the specified prefecture. Also, for example, the desired use period input by the shipper Gk is matched with a warehouse operator Wp that owns a warehouse where the desired use period falls within the warehouse rental validity period desired by the warehouse operator Wp. Also, for example, a match is made with the type of cargo entrusted by the shipper Gk (regular cargo, refrigerated or frozen goods, odorless or non-odorous goods, dangerous goods, pharmaceuticals (special management)) if it matches the type of cargo that can be accepted by the warehouse operator Wp. Also, for example, a match is made when the size of the warehouse space that the warehouse operator Wp can rent out is larger than the size of the warehouse desired by the shipper Gk. Also, for example, matching occurs when the acceptable truck size presented by the warehouse operator Wp is larger (in tons) than the size of the delivery truck used by the shipper Gk (whether it can fit into the warehouse). Also, for example, a match is achieved when the usage price desired by the shipper Gk is equal to or lower than the warehouse rental price input by the warehouse operator Wp. In addition, the type of rental desired by the shipper Gk (rental or deposit, and in the case of deposit, a location where ancillary work such as loading and unloading of luggage can be handled) is matched if it matches the warehouse availability conditions entered by the warehouse operator Wp.

[0043] In this way, the route calculation unit 114 performs matching between the warehouse owner conditions acquired by the warehouse owner condition acquisition unit 111 and the warehouse user desirer conditions acquired by the warehouse user condition acquisition unit 112 based on the above-mentioned logic. Then, a route is calculated for each matched combination, and optimal matching candidates are extracted. The conditions for calculating the route can be freely set by the shipper Gk, and for example, the route may be set to calculate a route from the unloading place to a necessary base, or the route may be set to calculate a route from the unloading place to a warehouse. In addition, when calculating the route, information such as the past traffic volume on the route, weather, day of the week, the trade area of ​​the shipper Gk, the number of delivery trucks, and the past delivery routes of the delivery trucks may be referred to.

[0044] The notification unit 116 of the server 1 notifies at least one of the shipper Gk and the warehouse operator W of information regarding the warehouse owned by the warehouse operator Wp extracted as a matching candidate, or information regarding the cargo that the shipper Gk wishes to store. Specifically, the notification unit 116 notifies the matching candidates extracted by the matching candidate extraction unit 115 via the communication unit 19 to at least one of the warehouse operator terminal 2-P and the shipper terminal 3-K. For example, the most convenient warehouse from among the extracted matching candidates may be determined as the optimal warehouse, and the optimal route, recommended warehouse, recommended base, or the like may be presented. An example of the functional configuration of the server 1, the warehouse operator terminal 2-P, and the shipper terminal 3-K in FIG. 3 has been described above with reference to FIG.

[0045] Next, the flow of processing executed by the server 1 having the functional configuration of FIG. 4 will be described with reference to FIG. That is, FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating the flow of the matching process executed by the server shown in FIG.

[0046] In step S1, the warehouse owner's condition acquisition unit 111 acquires the warehouse owner's conditions transmitted from the warehouse operator terminal 2-P. Then, the acquired information is stored in the warehouse owner's condition DB 181. In step S2, the warehouse use applicant side condition acquisition unit 112 acquires the warehouse use applicant side conditions transmitted from the shipper terminal 3-K and stores the acquired information in the warehouse use applicant side condition DB 182.

[0047] In step S3, the matching instruction unit 113 determines whether or not a matching instruction has been received from at least one of the warehouse operator terminal 2-P and the shipper terminal 3-K. If no matching instruction is sent from any of the warehouse operator terminals 2-1 to 2-m and the shipper terminals 3-1 to 3-n, then the answer is determined to be NO in step S3, and the process returns to step S1. On the other hand, if a matching instruction is given from the warehouse operator terminal 2-P or the shipper terminal 3-K, the answer is determined as YES in step S3, and the process proceeds to step S4.

[0048] In step S4, the route calculation unit 114 receives warehouse owner conditions, warehouse user conditions, and various delivery information from the warehouse owner conditions DB 181, warehouse user conditions DB 182, and delivery information DB 183, respectively. In step S4, the route calculation unit 114 performs matching based on the warehouse owner's conditions and the warehouse user's conditions. Then, for each matched combination, the route is calculated. At this time, various delivery information may be referred to.

[0049] In step S5, the matching candidate extraction unit 115 extracts matching candidates based on the information of the route calculated by the route calculation unit 114. Furthermore, in step S6, the notification unit 116 notifies the matching candidates extracted by the matching candidate extraction unit 115 to the warehouse operator terminal 2-P or the shipper terminal 3-K.

[0050] In step S7, the server 1 judges whether or not an instruction to end the process has been given. Here, the instruction to end the process is not particularly limited, but in this embodiment, a power cutoff of the server 1 is adopted. In other words, when the power is cut off in the server 1, the answer in step S7 is judged as YES, and the process of the server 1 is ended. On the other hand, unless the power supply is cut off in the server 1, the result of step S7 is NO, the process returns to step S1, and the subsequent processes are repeated.

[0051] Although an embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and modifications and improvements that can achieve the object of the present invention are included in the present invention.

[0052] In the above embodiment, the server 1 automatically extracts matching candidates upon receiving a matching instruction from at least one of the warehouse operator terminal 2-P and the shipper terminal 3-K, but the present invention is not limited to this method.

[0053] For example, the warehouse operator Wp or the shipper Gk may extract matching candidates by themselves. That is, the warehouse operator Wp may use the warehouse operator terminal 2-P to search for a shipper Gk who owns a package that meets the warehouse owner's conditions, and the shipper Gk may use the shipper terminal 3-K to search for a warehouse operator Wp who has a warehouse that meets the warehouse user's conditions. Then, the warehouse operator Wp or the shipper Gk may contact the matching candidates extracted by the search to express their desire for matching in the form of an inquiry. In this way, the warehouse operator Wp and the shipper Gk can search for matching candidates themselves, and can arbitrarily change the conditions of the warehouse owner and the conditions of the warehouse user, for example, to attempt a search for the purpose of investigating the possibility of a match. As a specific example, the operation screen when a shipper Gk searches for information about a warehouse will be described below with reference to Fig. 6, Fig. 7, and Fig. 9. Also, the operation screen when a warehouse operator Wp searches for information about a package will be described with reference to Fig. 8.

[0054] FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of an operation screen for inputting warehouse utilization request conditions, which is displayed on the shipper terminal.

[0055] As shown in FIG. 6, the display screen V of the shipper terminal 3-K is divided into display areas F11 to F14. The display area F11 is provided with input areas for two items: what kind of warehouse and work are envisaged, and how urgently the search is being carried out. The shipper Gk can input his / her desired conditions by checking these input areas. Display area F12 provides input areas for seven items of information about the luggage to be stored: the type of luggage, details about the luggage, the need for temperature control, whether or not there is an odor, packaging condition, weight of one package, and maximum storage capacity. The shipper Gk can input data into these input fields by checking or manually entering data. The display area F13 includes an area for manually inputting details regarding incoming and outgoing quantities, outgoing quantities, and ingoing and outgoing frequency as information regarding incoming and outgoing goods, as well as input areas for six items, namely, basic work date, work start time, and work end time. The shipper Gk can input data into these input fields by checking or manually entering data. The display area F14 has an input area for inputting whether or not the transport truck has been determined. The shipper Gk can input information by checking these input areas.

[0056] FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of an operation screen for inputting warehouse utilization applicant conditions, which is displayed on the shipper terminal, and is different from FIG. As shown in FIG. 7, the display screen V of the shipper terminal 3 is divided into display areas F15 to F19. Although FIG. 6 and FIG. 7 are divided into two figures for convenience, they may be shown as one continuous figure.

[0057] The display area F15 is provided with an input area for the desired area, that is, the area of ​​the desired warehouse. The shipper Gk can freely input data manually into this input area. The display area F16 has two input areas: the area where you want to leave your luggage (the location of the warehouse) and details about the area you want to enter. In addition, a button B11 is provided for selecting the area where you want to leave your luggage. By pressing this button B11, the consignor Gk can select the area where he / she wants to leave the goods from a map (not shown). If the consignor Gk has a detailed request about the area where he / she wants to leave the goods, he / she can manually input a comment.

[0058] The display area F17 has two input areas for inputting the desired usage period, that is, the planned usage start date and the planned usage end date. The shipper Gk can freely input desired conditions for these items.

[0059] The display area F18 has an input area for the type of warehouse you want. The term "transmission type" (TC) refers to a transfer center, which is a logistics center that is primarily used for sorting and transshipment. The transported goods are not stored or kept, but are sent directly to the sorting process and then transported to the next delivery destination. The "stock type" (DC) is a logistics center that is based on the premise that goods will be stored. One of the purposes of this type is to temporarily store goods that are expected to be shipped and store them until they are shipped. The shipper Gk can input information by checking in this input area.

[0060] The display area F19 also includes an area where comments can be manually entered if there are any other conditions or requests. The shipper Gk can freely input his / her wishes in this input area. In addition, the display area F19 provides an input area for deciding whether or not to make the entered warehouse user conditions public as a request. The shipper Gk can input information by checking in this input area. Then, the shipper Gk completes the registration by pressing the button B12 to agree to the contents described as the terms and conditions for warehouse users. 6 and 7, examples of the screen for inputting warehouse utilization applicant conditions displayed on the shipper terminal 3-K in FIG. 4 have been described.

[0061] Next, the operation screen on which the warehouse operator Wp searches for and inquires about a shipper will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of an operation screen for searching for and inquiring about a shipper, which is displayed on the warehouse operator terminal.

[0062] The screen in FIG. 8(A) displays an input screen for warehouse owner conditions and a screen for search results of shippers. As shown in FIG. 8(A), the display screen U of the warehouse operator terminal 2-P is configured to include display areas F31 to F33. The display area F31 has input areas for three items, namely, the type of warehouse owned, the area of ​​the warehouse owned, and the floor area of ​​the warehouse owned, which are warehouse owner conditions of the warehouse operator Wp. The warehouse operator Wp can freely input data into this input area. Note that, for convenience, input areas for the above-mentioned three items are provided here, but the input items are not limited to these. After inputting information for each of the three items described above, the warehouse operator Wp executes a shipper search by pressing a button B31 for executing a shipper search.

[0063] The display area F32 is provided with a selection area for selecting the number of shippers matched by executing a search and the order in which the matched cases are to be displayed as search results. The warehouse operator Wp can check the number of search results and freely select the order in which the search results are displayed. In the display area F33, the conditions related to the cargo of the matched shippers are displayed as the search results. In other words, the warehouse operator Wp can select the shipper Gk having the conditions related to the cargo that best suit his / her desires from the conditions related to the cargo displayed in the display area F33. Furthermore, if the warehouse operator Wp finds that there are too many search results displayed in the display area or that the conditions displayed in display area F33 do not meet his / her needs, he / she may re-enter different conditions in the input area provided in display area F31 and perform the search again.

[0064] The screen of FIG. 8(B) displays information about a shipper Gk selected by a warehouse operator Wp. As shown in FIG. 8(B), the display screen U of the warehouse operator terminal 2-P is configured to include a display area F34 and a button B32. In the display area F34, information about the shipper Gk selected by the warehouse operator Wp is displayed. Here, the warehouse operator Wp can contact the shipper Gk in the form of an "inquiry" by pressing the button B32 to request matching.

[0065] FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an example of an operation screen displayed on the shipper terminal for searching and inquiring about information relating to warehouses. The screen in FIG. 9(A) displays the search results for warehouse operators. As shown in FIG. 9(A), the display screen V of the shipper terminal 3-K is configured to include display areas F51 to F53 and a button B51. The display area F51 is provided with a selection area for opening a refinement setting input screen (not shown). The shipper Gk can change the warehouse utilization request side conditions on the refinement setting input screen.

[0066] In the display area F52, information about the matching warehouses is displayed as the search result. In other words, the shipper Gk can select the warehouse operator Wp that has the warehouse conditions that best suit his / her desires from the warehouse conditions displayed in the display area F52. In addition, the display area F53 shows on a map the warehouses owned by the warehouse operators Wp shown in the display area F52. In this way, the warehouses that are match candidates are shown on a map, so that the shipper Gk can intuitively understand the relative positions of the warehouses. Also, here, if the number of search results displayed in the display area is too large, or if the conditions displayed in the display area F53 do not meet the shipper Gk's needs, the shipper Gk may re-enter different conditions as warehouse user request conditions via a refinement setting input screen (not shown) provided in the display area F51 and execute a search. That is, the shipper G can select "Open refinement area" in the display area F51 and re-enter his / her desired conditions in the input area for warehouse user request conditions (not shown). Then, by pressing the button B51, warehouses that are candidates for matching under the revised conditions may be displayed on the map.

[0067] The screen of FIG. 9(B) displays information about the warehouse of the warehouse operator Wp selected by the shipper Gk. As shown in FIG. 9(B), the display screen V of the shipper terminal 3-K is composed of a display area F54. In the display area F54, information about the warehouse of the warehouse operator Wp selected by the shipper Gk is displayed. Here, the shipper Gk can contact the warehouse operator Wp in the form of an "inquiry" by pressing an inquiry button (not shown) to request matching. The above-mentioned screen example is merely an example, and the present invention is not limited to this.

[0068] As another example of a method for extracting matching candidates, the service provider S may extract matching candidates based on the warehouse owner's conditions and the warehouse user's conditions input by the warehouse operator Wp and the shipper Gk, respectively. As described above, extraction of matching candidates is attempted based on a predetermined logic for each of the predetermined items set by the service provider S. Then, when the conditions match for all of the predetermined items, the warehouse operator Wp and the shipper Gk are extracted as matching candidates. On the other hand, if a match is not made in at least one of the items set by the service provider S, the service provider S may present the warehouse operator Wp and the shipper Gk with information necessary for matching. This allows the warehouse operator Wp and the shipper Gk to change the warehouse owner's conditions and the warehouse user's conditions based on the information presented by the service provider S, for example, even if a match is not made. The information required for matching may be provided by the service provider S through chat, but the method of providing the information is not particularly limited. For example, the current price may be reflected in the warehouse owner's conditions and the warehouse user's conditions through dynamic pricing.

[0069] In the above embodiment, the warehouse rental price presented by the warehouse operator Wp as the warehouse owner condition is uniform, but is not limited to this. That is, the warehouse operator Wp may adjust and present the warehouse rental price based on the balance between demand and supply, such as peak and off-peak seasons, summer and winter, etc. For example, when inventory changes depending on the season, the warehouse operator Wp can adjust the amount of space required by the shipper Gk when inventory is low, and can adjust the amount of space required for short-term use when inventory increases. This allows the shipper Gk to pay only the amount of space required when necessary, making it possible to keep fixed costs low. In addition, the warehouse operator Wp may be able to change and offer a warehouse rental price depending on whether or not ancillary work is required for the cargo of the shipper Gk.

[0070] As described above, the warehouse operator Wp and the shipper Gk can increase the possibility of matching by attempting to extract matching candidates in a variety of different ways. Furthermore, the warehouse operator Wp and the shipper Gk can adopt various contract forms for the contract to be concluded after the matching is established. In other words, when the matched warehouse is a commercial warehouse, as mentioned above, the warehouse operator Wp and the shipper Gk concluded a deposit contract between the two parties, but the form is not limited to this. For example, a contract may be made between the warehouse operator Wp and the service provider S, and between the service provider S and the shipper Gk, with the service provider S being the contracting party. As a specific example, an example of a service in which the above-mentioned contract type can be selected will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an overview of the warehouse matching service, and is different from FIG. Incidentally, the flow from step ST31 to step ST33 is basically the same as step ST1 to step ST3 in FIG. 1, so the description thereof will be omitted here.

[0071] In step ST34, if the type of the warehouse with which matching is established is a commercial warehouse, the shipper Gk concludes a deposit contract and a business outsourcing contract with the service provider S. Then, the service provider S is entrusted with the shipper Gk's cargo and various services incidental to the receipt and delivery of the cargo. Then, in step ST35, the service provider S enters into a (re)deposit contract and a business outsourcing contract with the warehouse operator Wp. The service provider S then entrusts the warehouse operator Wp with the storage of the cargo received from the shipper Gk.

[0072] In step ST36, the service provider S applies for a corporate comprehensive insurance to an insurance agency via the matching website L. In step ST37, the comprehensive corporate insurance contracted by the service provider S is insured for the warehouse operator Wp.

[0073] In step ST38, the service provider S requests the payment agency via the matching website L to perform payment on his / her behalf. In step ST39, when the service provider S receives the payment of the settlement amount (the usage fee for the warehouse) from the settlement agent, the procedure proceeds to step ST40.

[0074] In step ST40, the warehouse operator Wp and the shipper Gk can directly communicate with each other regarding the incoming and outgoing of goods via the matching website L. Furthermore, here too, the service provider S may, as customer support, communicate with the three parties including the warehouse operator Wp and the shipper Gk regarding the incoming and outgoing of goods. In step ST41, the service provider S pays the settlement amount to the warehouse operator Wp. Then, in step ST42, the shipper Gk pays the settlement amount to the service provider S. As described above, the warehouse operator Wp and the shipper Gk can adopt a contract form in which the service provider S becomes a contracting party, accepts the shipper Gk's cargo and various tasks associated with the inbound and outbound of the cargo, and then subcontracts the received cargo to the warehouse operator Wp.

[0075] Although not shown in the figure, as another example of a contract form in which the service provider S is a contracting party, a case will be described in which the type of warehouse with which a match is established is a rental warehouse. In this case, the service provider S concludes a warehouse rental contract with the warehouse operator Wp. The service provider S then temporarily rents the warehouse from the warehouse operator Wp. The service provider S can then adopt a contract form in which the service provider S concludes a sublease contract with the shipper Gk, thereby subleasing the warehouse to the shipper Gk.

[0076] In this way, the warehouse operator Wp and the shipper Gk can adopt a contractual form in which the service provider S becomes a contracting party, rather than a bilateral contract, and a contract is made between the warehouse operator Wp and the service provider S, and between the service provider S and the shipper Gk, respectively. This allows the service provider S to handle the interactions that occur when a contract is concluded between the warehouse operator Wp and the shipper Gk, thereby reducing the burden on the warehouse operator Wp and the shipper Gk.

[0077] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, matching between a warehouse operator Wp who owns a warehouse and a shipper Gk is assumed, but this is not limited to this. That is, vacant space of a tenant such as a large multi-tenant warehouse managed by a major developer may be the matching target. Here, a multi-tenant warehouse refers to a general-purpose logistics facility that is constructed with multiple tenants in mind and later recruits tenants to sign rental contracts. By associating and managing information regarding vacant spaces in a multi-tenant warehouse, the shipper Gk can be matched with vacant spaces that exist within the same facility. In this way, various warehouses and vacant spaces across the country will be managed and offered to shippers as matching candidates, which will help to alleviate the nationwide warehouse shortage. It will also lead to developers providing support for monetization to tenants.

[0078] In the above embodiment, the warehouse owned by the warehouse operator Wp is the target of matching for the shipper Gk, but this is not limited to this. That is, in the present invention, matching of ancillary business, such as transportation and delivery, may also be performed. That is, not only warehouses, but also transportation and delivery, warehouse work, and storage may be the targets of matching. This allows, for example, shipper G to be provided with matching candidates for businesses that handle transportation and delivery and associated services in addition to warehouse matching. Warehouse business operator W and shipper G can receive the above-mentioned matching by inputting the above-mentioned conditions related to transportation and delivery as the warehouse provider's conditions and the warehouse user's conditions. In addition, there are no particular limitations on the type of contract that the warehouse operator Wp and the shipper Gk will enter into after the above-mentioned matching is established. For example, the following contract format can be adopted. That is, when a match is made with a transport business that transports and delivers the luggage, the shipper Gk enters into an outsourcing contract with the service provider S, and the service provider S accepts the luggage from the shipper Gk. The service provider S may then enter into an outsourcing contract with the transport business, and the service provider S may entrust the transport of the luggage accepted from the shipper Gk to the transport business. Also, for example, a contract may be formed in which a shipper Gk and a transport company enter into a contract between the two parties.

[0079] In addition, the above embodiment assumes matching between a warehouse operator Wp who owns a warehouse and a shipper Gk, but is not limited to this. In other words, not only matching of warehouses but also providing fulfillment functions related to the EC business to an EC business operator may be performed. Combining the matching system according to one embodiment of the present application with the provision of a fulfillment function to EC businesses makes it possible to provide the following: It is possible to provide a system in which EC business products are stored in a warehouse, and when an order is placed at an online e-shop, online shipping procedures are carried out and the product is shipped from the warehouse to the customer. This allows e-commerce operators to secure the optimal warehouse within the framework of their e-commerce business. Specifically, for example, they can efficiently use the space by shifting excess or stored inventory to cheaper warehouse space and storing the inventory they need for the time being in this fulfillment center for taking orders and shipping. Furthermore, according to one embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to calculate the delivery route of the product from the time it is unloaded at the port to the product purchaser, thereby enabling efficient delivery of the product. As a result, it will be possible to contribute to resolving the declining productive labor force, shortage of logistics workers, and rising logistics costs, which are all social issues.

[0080] In addition, the above embodiment is based on the premise that only warehouses or vacant spaces existing in Japan are compiled into a database, but this is not limited to this. In other words, warehouses or vacant spaces overseas may also be added to the database and used as matching targets in cooperation with forwarding companies that handle import and export operations. In other words, by adding, for example, a database relating to bonded warehouses to the matching system according to one embodiment of the present application, it becomes possible to match shippers located overseas. For example, by adding warehouses located overseas to the database, it will be possible to centralize information management of warehouses around the world, storage allocation to the most suitable warehouses, and the import / export process to those warehouses.Specifically, for example, by linking with warehouses in Asian regions with weak flood control (such as Indonesia and Thailand), it will be possible to use overseas warehouses as emergency warehouses in the event of a disaster or as temporary storage locations for domestic goods (even if transportation costs are paid, this may be cheaper than using a domestic warehouse).

[0081] In addition, the above embodiment is based on the premise of vacant warehouses and vacant space information, but is not limited to this. In other words, vacant space of trucks, airplanes, cargo transport aircraft, ships, etc. may be compiled into a database in real time and shared. While the spread of EC has led to talk of a shortage of logistics truck drivers, it has also been pointed out that truck loading rates are declining. By managing vacant space on trucks, planes, ships, etc. in a database, the service matches cargo owners with these spaces. This will increase the loading rate of cargo, improving transportation efficiency, and also contributing to the shortage of last-mile delivery workers.

[0082] Furthermore, in addition to the above database, by accumulating data on cargo types, transportation times, transportation routes, loading rates, etc. for domestic and international logistics, it will be possible to utilize this data for secondary business. This will make it possible to receive consultation on optimizing global logistics, receive information on logistics routes in the event of a disaster or emergency, and provide information on temporary storage locations for luggage.

[0083] In summary, the matching system to which the present invention is applied only needs to have the following configuration, and can take a variety of different embodiments. That is, the matching system to which the present invention is applied is A matching system used to match a warehouse owner (e.g., warehouse operator W) who owns a warehouse with a warehouse user (e.g., shipper G) who wishes to store goods in the warehouse, a warehouse owner side condition acquisition means (e.g., the warehouse owner side condition acquisition unit 111 in FIG. 4) for acquiring conditions (e.g., the area of ​​use, the time of use, the type of goods, the size, etc.) related to the warehouses that can be provided for use among the warehouses owned by the warehouse owner as warehouse owner side conditions; A warehouse user requester condition acquisition means (e.g., the warehouse user requester condition acquisition unit 112 in FIG. 4) for acquiring conditions related to the cargo desired to be stored by the warehouse user requester (e.g., the type and size of the cargo, the desired area of ​​use, the desired time of use, the quantity at the time of entry and exit, whether the truck has been decided, etc.) as the warehouse user requester condition; a matching candidate extraction means (e.g., the matching candidate extraction unit 115 in FIG. 4) for extracting, as a matching candidate, a warehouse owned by the warehouse owner that can store the luggage desired to be stored by the warehouse user, or a luggage desired to be stored by the warehouse user that can be stored in the warehouse owned by the warehouse owner, based on the warehouse owner's conditions and the warehouse user's conditions; a notification means (e.g., notification unit 116 in FIG. 4) for notifying at least one of the warehouse user and the warehouse owner of information about the warehouse or the package determined as the matching candidate; Equipped with. This will enable matching of warehouse owners with warehouse users who wish to store goods in their warehouses, improving the efficiency of logistics operations.

[0084] Although the matching candidate extraction means extracts matching candidates by combining a warehouse owner and a person who wishes to use the warehouse, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, matching candidates may be extracted by combining a person who manages a warehouse (warehouse management) and a person who wishes to use the warehouse, even if the person does not own the warehouse. In addition, the matching candidate extraction means may extract matching candidates by combining warehouses and people who wish to use warehouses, instead of being a warehouse owner or warehouse manager.

[0085] A route calculation means (e.g., the route calculation unit 114 in FIG. 4) for calculating a route including at least one of the warehouses owned by the warehouse owner as a route for transporting the luggage desired to be stored by the warehouse user based on predetermined information; Further equipped with The matching candidate extraction means extracts the matching candidates based on the warehouse owner's conditions and the warehouse user's conditions, as well as the results of at least one of the routes calculated by the route calculation means.

[0086] In addition, the route calculation means (for example, the route calculation unit 114 in FIG. 4) For each of the calculated at least one or more routes, calculate a transportation cost (e.g., a transportation cost) and a travel distance (e.g., a distance) when transporting the luggage through the warehouse included in the route; The matching candidate extraction means (for example, the matching candidate extraction unit 115 in FIG. 4) extracts the matching candidates based on the results of the transportation cost and the travel distance calculated by the route calculation means. Hereinafter, the matching process described in this paragraph will be specifically referred to as an "efficient matching process." This type of efficient matching process makes it possible to select matching candidates that meet the desired conditions for each of the items of transportation cost and driving distance, thereby improving the cost efficiency of logistics operations and resolving the labor shortage issue in the logistics industry. Next, a specific implementation example of the above-mentioned efficient matching process will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0087] 11 and 12 are diagrams illustrating an implementation example of the efficient matching process executed by the server of FIG.

[0088] Figure 11 shows an example of the results of warehouses that can store the pallet and routes along which the pallet can be transported being extracted as matching candidates when a pallet loaded with cargo is delivered from factory F to destinations G1 and G2. Specifically, Figure 11(A) shows an example in which a pallet is removed from a factory F, transported to a warehouse P1, stored in warehouse P1 for a predetermined period of time, and then delivered from warehouse P1 to each of destinations G1 and G2. Figure 11(B) also shows an example in which some of the pallets leaving factory F are transported from factory F to warehouse P2, and the remaining pallets are transported from factory F to warehouse P3, and then distributed and stored in warehouses P2 and P3, respectively, and then delivered from warehouses P2 and P3 to destinations G1 and G2, respectively.

[0089] FIG. 12 shows examples of the calculation results of the total cost and the total travel distance in each of the examples of FIGS. 11(A) and (B). The total cost represents the sum of transportation costs from factory F to the warehouse, warehouse costs, loading and unloading costs, and transportation costs from the warehouse to the delivery destination. The transportation cost is the cost required to transport a pallet using a truck, and is calculated based on the transportation distance, the time required (labor costs), the number of trucks, etc. The required time is the time required to transport the pallet using a truck, and also takes into consideration the roads used (general roads, toll roads) and the congestion of the roads. For the sake of convenience, in this implementation example, only general roads are used, and the roads used are assumed to be uncongested. The number of trucks is selected based on the capacity per truck, the type of cargo, the size of the cargo, the amount of cargo, etc. For the sake of convenience, in this implementation example, a truck with a transport capacity of 50 pallets is used, and the type, size, and load of cargo per pallet are all assumed to be equal. The warehouse cost is the cost required to use the warehouse, and in this implementation example, the rent is calculated in units of 1 tsubo for the area used. However, this is not limited to this, and the rent may be calculated in units of 10 tsubo (40 pallets), for example. Such countable units and the size of the warehouse (the area of ​​tsubo that can accommodate goods) are also taken into consideration in the efficient matching process. Cargo handling costs are the costs required for work within the warehouse and consist of the number of pallets stored and the labor cost per pallet. The total mileage indicates the sum of the mileage of all trucks transporting pallets from factory F to the warehouse and from the warehouse to the delivery destination.

[0090] Specifically, for example, a case will be considered in which 80 pallets are transported out of factory F. In the example of Figure 11(A), the pallet is transported by two trucks from factory F to warehouse P1. The distance L1 from factory F to warehouse P1 is 30 km, and the required travel time is 45 minutes. The transportation cost C1 in this case is 8,960 yen.

[0091] Warehouse P1 has an area of ​​30 tsubo and the rent is 2,000 yen per tsubo. Therefore, the warehouse cost S1 for using 80 pallets (20 tsubo) of warehouse P1 is 40,000 yen. In addition, the cargo handling cost N1 for storing 80 pallets in warehouse P1 is 23,200 yen.

[0092] After being stored in warehouse P1 for a specified period of time, 76 of the 80 pallets are delivered from warehouse P1 to delivery destination G1 by two trucks. The distance L2 from warehouse P1 to delivery destination G1 is 285 km, and the required travel time is 300 minutes. The transportation cost C2 in this case is 44,800 yen. The remaining 4 pallets of the 80 pallets are then delivered by one truck from warehouse P1 to delivery destination G2. The distance L3 from warehouse P1 to delivery destination G2 is 277 km, and the required travel time is 285 minutes. The transportation cost C3 in this case is 22,400 yen.

[0093] 11A, the total cost is the sum of the transportation cost C1, the warehouse cost S1, the cargo handling cost N1, the transportation cost C2, and the transportation cost C3, which is 139,360 yen. The total travel distance is 907.0 km.

[0094] In contrast, in the example of Figure 11(B), the pallets are transported to warehouses P2 and P3 separately. That is, 76 of the 80 pallets are transported from factory F to warehouse P2 by two trucks. The distance L4 from factory F to warehouse P2 is 30.0 km, and the required time is 45 minutes. The transportation cost C4 in this case is 8,960 yen. The remaining 4 pallets of the 80 pallets are transported by one truck from Factory F to Warehouse P3. The distance L5 from Factory F to Warehouse P3 is 35.0 km, and the travel time is 70 minutes. The transportation cost C5 in this case is 4,480 yen.

[0095] Warehouse P2 has a floor area of ​​30 tsubo and the rent is 2,000 yen per tsubo. Therefore, the warehouse cost S2 for using 76 pallets (19 tsubo) of Warehouse P2 is 38,000 yen. In addition, the cargo handling cost N2 for storing 76 pallets in warehouse P2 is 22,040 yen. Warehouse P3 has a floor area of ​​10 tsubo and the rent is 1,900 yen per tsubo. Therefore, the warehouse cost S3 for using 4 pallets (1 tsubo) is 1,900 yen. In addition, the cargo handling cost N3 for storing four pallets in warehouse P3 is 1,160 yen.

[0096] After being stored in warehouse P2 for a certain period of time, the 76 pallets are delivered from warehouse P2 to delivery destination G1 by two trucks. The distance L6 from warehouse P2 to delivery destination G1 is 285 km, and the required time is 300 minutes. The transportation cost C6 in this case is 44,800 yen. After being stored in warehouse P3 for a certain period of time, the four pallets are delivered from warehouse P3 to delivery destination G2 by one truck. The distance L7 from warehouse P3 to delivery destination G2 is 200 km, and the required travel time is 225 minutes. The transportation cost C7 in this case is 17,920 yen.

[0097] From the above calculation results, the total cost in the example of Figure 11(B) is the sum of the transportation costs C4 and C5, the warehouse costs S2 and S3, the loading and unloading costs N2 and N3, and the transportation costs C6 and C7, which is 139,260 yen. Also, the total travel distance in the example of Figure 11(B) is 865.0 km.

[0098] In summary, the examples of FIGS. 11 and 12 are the results of the following processing executed by the route calculation unit 114 and the matching candidate extraction unit 115 in FIG. 4 as efficient matching processing. That is, the route calculation unit 114 calculates the example routes of each of Figures 11(A) and (B), and calculates the total cost as the transportation expenses and the total travel distance when transporting luggage through the warehouses included in each route, as shown in Figure 12. The matching candidate extraction unit 115 extracts the example in FIG. 11(B) as a matching candidate based on the result that the example in FIG. 11(B) has a lower total cost and total distance traveled, out of the calculation results of the total cost and total distance traveled in each of FIGS. 11(A) and (B). That is, in the example of Fig. 11, consolidating and storing the goods coming out of factory F in one warehouse appears to be optimal from the viewpoint of cost and travel distance, so conventionally, the example of Fig. 11(A) has tended to be adopted. However, by executing an efficient matching process, it is found that the example of Fig. 11(A) is not necessarily optimal, and the example of Fig. 11(B), in which the goods are stored in two warehouses in a distributed manner and as a result it is possible to reduce the total cost (total of transportation costs, warehouse costs, loading and unloading costs, etc.) and the total travel distance, is extracted as a matching candidate.

[0099] To explain more specifically, in the example of Figure 11(B), pallets are stored not only in warehouse P2 but also in warehouse P3, so an additional truck is used to transport pallets from factory F to warehouse P3. Therefore, when focusing on the transportation costs from factory F to each warehouse, compared to 8,960 yen for C1 in Figure 11(A), in Figure 11(B) it is 13,340 yen for C4+C5, which is higher than the example of Figure 11(A). However, in the example of Figure 11(B), warehouse P3 with low rent is selected, so warehouse costs are kept down, and as a result, the total cost is kept down. In the example of Figure 11, for ease of explanation, the number of candidate warehouses and candidate routes has been reduced; however, in reality, the number of candidate warehouses and candidate routes will be very large, making it very difficult to extract optimal matching candidates by manual calculation. However, by executing an efficient matching process, it is possible to extract appropriate matching candidates easily and in a short time.

[0100] That is, for example, even if transportation costs increase, total costs can be kept low if warehouse costs can be kept low, and such calculations can be easily performed by executing efficient matching processing. Therefore, by executing efficient matching processing, it becomes possible to easily extract matching candidates that keep total costs low while ensuring convenience, such as storing packages that are to be shipped immediately to their destinations in warehouses near the destinations, and storing packages that will not be shipped for the time being in warehouses with low rent.

[0101] In addition, by executing the efficient matching process, it is possible to easily extract matching candidates with a low total driving distance (in the example of Figure 11, the example of Figure 11(B)), which will enable social contributions such as resolving the labor shortage and long working hours of truck drivers, which are issues in the logistics industry.

[0102] In this way, it becomes possible to systematically extract matching candidates (execute efficient matching processing) focusing on the total cost consisting of transportation costs, warehouse costs, loading and unloading costs, etc., and the reduction effect of each cost item. This makes it possible for, for example, a warehouse user wishing to store luggage, and a service provider S who is entrusted with managing luggage from a warehouse user, to extract matching candidates according to the effects they are seeking (reducing transportation costs, reducing warehouse costs, minimizing total costs, minimizing transportation distances, etc.) in the total logistics from storing luggage in a factory or warehouse, shipping to a store, etc., and delivering to the purchaser's home.

[0103] Furthermore, even when the service provider S rents out to a warehouse user a registered warehouse that has been entrusted to the warehouse user by the warehouse owner, the service provider S can extract warehouses as matching candidates that meet the desired effects (reduction in transportation costs, reduction in warehouse costs, minimization of total costs, minimization of transportation distances, etc.) while renting out the warehouse to the warehouse user based on a common price list. The service provider S can achieve efficient management by effectively utilizing the results of such efficient matching processing. [Explanation of symbols]

[0104] 1...Server, 2...Warehouse operator terminal, 3...Shipper terminal, 4...Service provider terminal, D...Input information database, P...Matching website, W...Warehouse operator, G...Shipper, S...Service provider, 111...Warehouse owner side condition acquisition unit, 112...Warehouse user side condition acquisition unit, 113...Matching instruction unit, 114...Route calculation unit, 115...Matching candidate extraction unit, 116...Notification unit

Claims

1. In a matching system used to match warehouse owners with users who wish to store their goods in the warehouse, a warehouse owner side condition acquisition means for acquiring conditions related to warehouses that are available for use among the warehouses owned by the warehouse owner, including conditions such as "what kind of warehouse and work is expected" and a condition such as "urgency" as warehouse owner side conditions; a warehouse utilization applicant side condition acquisition means for acquiring conditions related to the luggage that the warehouse utilization applicant wishes to store as warehouse utilization applicant side conditions; a matching candidate extraction means for extracting, as matching candidates, warehouses owned by the warehouse owner that can store the goods desired to be stored by the warehouse user, or goods desired to be stored by the warehouse user that can be stored in the warehouse owned by the warehouse owner, based on the warehouse owner's conditions and the warehouse user's conditions; A matching system comprising:

2. a route calculation means for calculating a route including at least one of the warehouses owned by the warehouse owner as a route for transporting the luggage desired to be stored by the warehouse user based on predetermined information; Further equipped with The matching candidate extraction means extracts the matching candidates based on the warehouse owner's conditions and the warehouse user's conditions, as well as on at least one of the results of the routes calculated by the route calculation means. The matching system according to claim 1 .

3. The route calculation means further comprises: Calculating a transportation cost and a travel distance for transporting the luggage via the warehouse included in each of the calculated at least one or more routes; The matching candidate extraction means further extracts the matching candidates based on the transportation cost and the travel distance calculated by the route calculation means. The matching system according to claim 2 .

4. An information processing method for a matching system used to match warehouse owners who own warehouses with warehouse users who wish to store goods in the warehouses, comprising: a warehouse owner side condition acquisition step of acquiring conditions related to warehouses that can be provided for use among the warehouses owned by the warehouse owner, including a condition of "what kind of warehouse and work is expected" and a condition of "urgency" as warehouse owner side conditions; a warehouse utilization requester side condition acquisition step of acquiring conditions related to the luggage that the warehouse utilization requester desires to store as warehouse utilization requester side conditions; a matching candidate extraction step of extracting, as a matching candidate, a warehouse owned by the warehouse owner that can store the luggage desired to be stored by the warehouse user, or a luggage desired to be stored by the warehouse user that can be stored in the warehouse owned by the warehouse owner, based on the warehouse owner's conditions and the warehouse user's conditions; An information processing method comprising:

5. A computer in a matching system used to match warehouse owners who own warehouses with users who wish to store their goods in the warehouses. a warehouse owner side condition acquisition step of acquiring conditions related to warehouses that can be provided for use among the warehouses owned by the warehouse owner, including a condition of "what kind of warehouse and work is expected" and a condition of "urgency" as warehouse owner side conditions; a warehouse utilization requester side condition acquisition step of acquiring conditions related to the luggage that the warehouse utilization requester desires to store as warehouse utilization requester side conditions; a matching candidate extraction step of extracting, as a matching candidate, a warehouse owned by the warehouse owner that can store the luggage desired to be stored by the warehouse user, or a luggage desired to be stored by the warehouse user that can be stored in the warehouse owned by the warehouse owner, based on the warehouse owner's conditions and the warehouse user's conditions; A program that executes control processing including:

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