Information processing system and program

Abstract

To enable computation of total cumulative CO2 emissions for each storage box.SOLUTION: An information processing system is provided, comprising a storage unit configured to store ID information assigned to each storage box intended to store goods therein and be repeatedly transported between multiple bases in association with each trip of the storage box between the bases, and an emission computation unit for computing total cumulative CO2 emissions for each storage box, where the total cumulative CO2 emissions include CO2 emissions during transportation as computed based on a transportation history of the storage box stored in the storage unit.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an information processing system and a program. [Background technology]

[0002] In the process of distribution of goods, storage boxes that store a plurality of goods are used. For example, goods are transported from a warehouse of a manufacturer that manufactures the goods to a distribution warehouse, and from a distribution warehouse to a retailer warehouse, while the goods are stored in the storage box. Conventionally, cardboard boxes have been used as such storage boxes.

[0003] However, since cardboard boxes are disposable, they tend to place a high burden on the environment. Therefore, in order to reduce the burden on the environment, the use of reusable containers made of synthetic resin as storage boxes has been considered.

[0004] For example, the following Patent Document 1 describes a reusable article transport member such as a pallet, a returnable box, a container, or a basket cart. Patent Document 1 also describes that when an article is transported or shipped using the article transport member, identification information given to the article transport member is read to manage the shipment or receipt of the article. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2021-043661 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] In order to reuse the storage boxes, an additional task of collecting the empty storage boxes after transporting the items is required. Since the collection of the empty storage boxes requires the use of transport vehicles such as trucks, CO2 is also emitted during the collection of the storage boxes.

[0007] Therefore, there was a need to visualize the level of environmental impact when reusable storage boxes are used to transport items.

[0008] The present invention relates to a technique capable of calculating the total cumulative amount of CO2 emissions for each storage box. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, one aspect of the present invention relates to an information processing system including a memory unit that stores ID information attached to a storage box that contains items and is repeatedly transported between a plurality of bases in association with each of the transports of the storage box between the bases, and an emission calculation unit that calculates a total cumulative CO2 emission amount for each of the storage boxes, wherein the total CO2 emission amount includes the CO2 emission amount during transport calculated based on the transport history of the storage box stored in the memory unit. Effect of the Invention

[0010] As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to calculate the total cumulative amount of CO2 emission for each storage box. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0011] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram for explaining an outline of an embodiment of the present invention; [Diagram 2] 1 is an example of an external configuration of a storage box. [Diagram 3] 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a distribution management device according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 4] FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of a transportation history table. [Diagram 5] FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a cleaning history table. [Figure 6] 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an information terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an analysis server according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] FIG. 11 is a flowchart illustrating an example of an operation of the analysis server according to the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a hardware configuration. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0012] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In this specification and the drawings, components having substantially the same functional configurations are designated by the same reference numerals, and duplicated explanations will be omitted.

[0013] The embodiment of the present invention is applied to a logistics system in which items are transported using a storage box. The storage box in the embodiment of the present invention can be repeatedly used to transport items between multiple bases. Hereinafter, an overview of one embodiment of the present invention in which such a storage box is used will be described with reference to FIG. 1.

[0014] <Summary> Fig. 1 is a diagram for explaining an outline of an embodiment of the present invention, in which a manufacturer's factory, a manufacturer's warehouse, a logistics warehouse, a retailer's warehouse, a store, and a storage box collection site are shown as a plurality of bases.

[0015] The manufacturer factory and manufacturer warehouse are bases of the manufacturer that produces the goods. The manufacturer factory is where the goods are manufactured, and the manufacturer warehouse is where the goods manufactured at the manufacturer factory are stored. The logistics warehouse is the base of the logistics company. The logistics warehouse stores the goods transported from the manufacturer warehouse. The retailer warehouse and the store are bases of the store operator. The retailer warehouse stores the goods transported from the logistics warehouse, and the stores sell, consume or use the goods. A storage box 50 capable of storing multiple goods is used to transport goods between these bases. The storage box collection site is the base where the storage box 50 used to transport goods is collected.

[0016] Although FIG. 1 shows an example in which a vehicle 40 (e.g., a truck) transports the storage box 50 between each base station, the storage box 50 may be transported by other moving bodies such as a ship, a train, an airplane, or a drone.

[0017] (Transportation flow) Items are manufactured at a manufacturer's factory, and the manufactured items are stored in storage box 50. Storage box 50 containing the items is transported by vehicle 40 to the manufacturer's warehouse. Storage box 50 transported to the manufacturer's warehouse is stored at the manufacturer's warehouse. Thereafter, storage box 50 is transported by vehicle 40 from the manufacturer's warehouse to a logistics warehouse and stored at the logistics warehouse. Furthermore, storage box 50 is transported by vehicle 40 from the logistics warehouse to a retailer's warehouse, and transported to a store after being stored at the retailer's warehouse.

[0018] In the store, the items stored in the storage box 50 are removed from the storage box 50 or are sold while still stored in the storage box 50. After the stored items are sold or the like in the store, the emptied storage box 50 is folded by the store staff or the like and stored in a prescribed location.

[0019] Thereafter, the emptied storage box 50 is collected from the store by, for example, a collection company and transported to a storage box collection site. At the storage box collection site, the storage box 50 may be selectively washed or disposed of by the collection company. The storage box 50 is then transported from the storage box collection site to the manufacturer's factory by the collection company, thereby returning to the manufacturer's factory described at the beginning. By repeating the above-mentioned cycle, the same storage box 50 is repeatedly used for transportation.

[0020] The above-mentioned flow of transport of the storage box 50 is one example. The storage box 50 may be transported by other flows. For example, the storage box 50 that has been emptied at a store may be returned to a retail store warehouse and then transported from the retail store warehouse to a storage box recovery site. Also, it is not necessary that all of the bases described in FIG. 1 exist. For example, the storage box 50 that has been emptied at a store may be transported from the store to a logistics warehouse and then further transported to a manufacturer's warehouse or manufacturer's factory.

[0021] (Containment box configuration) An example of the configuration of a container 50 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

[0022] FIG. 2 is an example of the external configuration of the storage box 50. As shown in FIG. 2, the storage box 50 can be transformed between an assembled state and a folded state. The storage box 50 has a storage space for storing items in the assembled state, and does not have the storage space in the folded state. Here, in FIG. 2, lines showing a structure necessary for transformation are omitted. In addition, the storage box 50 may have a rectangular parallelepiped shape as shown in FIG. 2 in the assembled state, or may have another shape. In addition, the storage box 50 can be transformed between the assembled state and the folded state as described above, and further, the storage box 50 may be provided with an openable and closable window. Alternatively, the storage box 50 may be configured so that at least one of the sides in the assembled state can be opened by attachment / detachment, rotation, or the like without affecting the items stored in the storage box 50. In a storage box 50 with the window open or at least one side open, the items stored in the storage box 50 can be viewed from the outside and can be taken in and out, and the storage box 50 can also be used for display in a store.

[0023] There is no particular limitation on the type of item stored in the storage box 50. For example, the item may be cosmetics, food and drink, daily necessities, entertainment items, sports equipment, office supplies, electronic devices, medical supplies, clothing, or the like.

[0024] Furthermore, the storage boxes 50 according to the embodiment of the present invention are provided with ID information for identifying each storage box 50, and an ID information presenting unit is provided so that the provided ID information can be read by a reading unit 120 (described later) of the information terminal 10. For example, an IC chip 52 storing ID information may be embedded in the storage box 50 as the ID information presenting unit. As another example, an optically readable code such as a barcode or two-dimensional code may be attached to the storage box 50 as the ID information presenting unit, and the ID information of the storage box 50 may be read from the code.

[0025] The storage box 50 may be made of, for example, synthetic resin. Such a storage box 50 has a higher durability than a cardboard box and can be used repeatedly. In addition, dirt adhering to the storage box 50 can be easily removed by washing. Note that washing is a process for removing dirt from an object, and may be performed using water or detergent, or may be performed without using water or detergent (e.g., air washing).

[0026] (Regarding pallets) The transportation and storage of the storage boxes 50 described above may be performed in units of pallets. A pallet is a flat platform on which a plurality of storage boxes 50 can be placed. In relation to the use of the pallet, several methods are conceivable for the transportation of the storage boxes 50 and the use of the storage boxes 50 in a store. Two examples are given below.

[0027] As an example of the first method, there is a method of displaying the items while they are stored in the storage box 50. That is, by using a storage box 50 that allows the items stored in the storage box 50 to be visible from the outside and removable, the storage box 50 can also be used for display. According to the first method, it is possible to quickly carry out the process from carrying in a plurality of storage boxes 50 to displaying the items. The storage boxes 50 may be arranged in a plurality of tiers. In this case, the plurality of storage boxes 50 may be carried into the store together with the pallets used for transportation, and displayed as they are.

[0028] As a second example of the method, there is a method of displaying the articles by removing the articles from the storage box 50 and displaying the articles on a shelf or the like.

[0029] In addition to the method described above, there are various other possible methods for transporting and displaying items using storage box 50, but any of these methods can reduce the number of cardboard boxes used, thereby reducing the environmental impact.

[0030] (Regarding distribution management) As shown in FIG. 1, in one embodiment of the present invention, a plurality of information terminals 10 (referred to as information terminals 10A to 10F when distinguishing one from another), a distribution management device 20, and an analysis server 30 are implemented as an information processing system, thereby achieving various effects. For example, efficient logistics can be achieved by sharing the container 50 between companies, optimizing transportation, and reducing waiting time for shipment. In addition, the location of collection or cleaning of the container 50, the timing of cleaning, and the optimization of the transport route, as well as the individual management of the container 50, can be used to achieve environmentally friendly circulation of the container 50. In addition, the standardization of the container 50 can also realize the production of the container 50 with reduced manpower and labor. Below, an overview of each information terminal 10, the distribution management device 20, and the analysis server 30 will be described.

[0031] The information terminal 10 is a terminal used at each base such as a manufacturer's factory, a manufacturer's warehouse, a logistics warehouse, a retailer's warehouse, a store, and a storage box collection site. Fig. 1 shows an information terminal 10A used at a manufacturer's factory, an information terminal 10B used at a manufacturer's warehouse, an information terminal 10C used at a logistics warehouse, an information terminal 10D used at a retailer's warehouse, an information terminal 10E used at a store, and an information terminal 10F used at a storage box collection site.

[0032] Each information terminal 10 is communicatively connected to the distribution management device 20. For example, each information terminal 10 may be connected to the distribution management device 20 via a network including a wired or wireless transmission path. The network may include the Internet, a telephone line network, a satellite communication network, various LANs (Local Area Networks) including Ethernet (registered trademark), or WANs (Wide Area Networks). The network may also include a dedicated line network such as an IP-VPN (Internet Protocol-Virtual Private Network).

[0033] Each information terminal 10 reads the ID information from each ID information presenting unit of the storage box 50, and transmits information including the read ID information to the distribution management device 20. Specifically, the information terminal 10 at the source base may read the ID information of the storage box 50 to be transported when transporting the storage box 50 to another base, and transmits transport information including the read ID information and transport source information indicating the source base to the distribution management device 20. Also, the information terminal 10 at the destination base may read the ID information of the transported storage box 50 when the storage box 50 is transported from another base, and transmits transport information including the read ID information and transport destination information indicating the destination base to the distribution management device 20.

[0034] The configuration and function of each of the information terminals 10 may be the same or different. For example, the information terminal 10F used at the collection site may have a function of determining whether each of the collection boxes 50 needs to be washed or disposed of. The information terminal 10 may be a stationary terminal or a portable terminal. Although FIG. 1 shows an example in which one information terminal 10 is provided at each base, multiple information terminals 10 may be provided at each base.

[0035] The distribution management device 20 manages the overall distribution of the storage boxes 50. Specifically, the distribution management device 20 manages the bases where each storage box 50 is staying and the transportation history of the storage box 50 based on transportation information of the storage box 50 received from each information terminal 10. The distribution management device 20 may also manage information on the items stored in each storage box 50. In such a case, the distribution management device 20 can also transmit transportation instructions to each information terminal 10 instructing when, where, and by which vehicle 40 to transport which storage box 50.

[0036] The analysis server 30 calculates the total cumulative CO2 emission of each storage box 50 based on the transport history of each storage box 50 transported between multiple bases. The total cumulative CO2 emission of the storage box 50 is the sum of the total amount of CO2 emitted by the transport of goods by the storage box 50 and the amount of CO2 emitted by the manufacturing and cleaning of the storage box 50. Specifically, the analysis server 30 calculates the total cumulative CO2 emission of the storage box 50 by adding up the CO2 emission during the manufacturing of the storage box 50, the CO2 emission related to the cleaning of the storage box 50 (the CO2 emission per cleaning of the storage box 50 multiplied by the number of cleanings; hereinafter, also referred to as the CO2 emission during cleaning), and the CO2 emission due to the transportation of the storage box 50 calculated based on the transport history (hereinafter, also referred to as the CO2 emission during transportation). This allows the analysis server 30 to visualize the degree of environmental load generated when the reusable storage box 50 is used to transport goods by quantifying the CO2 emission.

[0037] (background) In recent years, companies have been expected to take on ESG and SDGs, such as reducing environmental impact, biodiversity, social problem-solving businesses, and human rights due diligence. In order to reduce the environmental impact, the use of reusable storage boxes 50 instead of disposable cardboard boxes for transporting goods from manufacturer factories to stores has been considered. However, in order to reuse the storage boxes 50, it is necessary to collect the storage boxes 50 from the store or retailer warehouse to a storage box collection site, and in some cases, to wash the storage boxes 50 again. Therefore, it has been difficult to clarify the extent to which the environmental impact is reduced by changing from disposable cardboard boxes to reusable storage boxes 50. Therefore, there has been a demand for visualizing the environmental impact caused by the use of the storage boxes 50.

[0038] The embodiment of the present invention was created with the above circumstances in mind. According to the embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to calculate the environmental load when a reusable storage box 50 is used to transport goods as a total cumulative CO2 emission. In addition, it is possible to visualize the extent to which the environmental load has been reduced by the storage box 50 by comparing it with the total cumulative CO2 emission when a disposable cardboard box is used to transport goods. The configurations of the distribution management device 20, the information terminal 10, and the analysis server 30 according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below.

[0039] <Configuration of distribution management device> Fig. 3 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a distribution management device 20 according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in Fig. 3, the distribution management device 20 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a communication unit 210, a storage unit 220, and a control unit 250.

[0040] The communication unit 210 is an interface with each of the information terminals 10, and functions as a receiving unit that receives information from each of the information terminals 10, and a transmitting unit that transmits information to each of the information terminals 10. For example, the communication unit 210 may receive transport information including ID information of the storage box 50 from each of the information terminals 10. The communication unit 210 can also transmit instructions regarding the transport of the storage box 50 to the information terminal 10 based on the control of the control unit 250.

[0041] The storage unit 220 stores various information, tables, and the like used in the operation of the distribution management device 20. The control unit 250 controls the overall operation of the distribution management device 20. In particular, the control unit 250 according to one embodiment of the present invention functions as a management unit that manages and updates various tables stored in the storage unit 220 based on transportation information transmitted from each of the information terminals 10.

[0042] The various tables include a transport history table, a cleaning history table, etc. The transport history table and the cleaning history table are examples of a table showing the usage history of the storage box 50. Note that the various tables may be managed by different devices.

[0043] (Delivery History Table) Fig. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a transport history table. The transport history table is a table showing the transport history between bases of each of the storage boxes 50. As shown in Fig. 4, in the transport history table, ID information, transport origin information, transport destination information, transport distance, transport vehicle information, and road type are associated with each other.

[0044] The ID information is the ID information of the storage box 50. The transport origin information indicates the transport origin when the storage box 50 is transported between bases. The transport destination information indicates the transport destination when the storage box 50 is transported between bases. The transport distance indicates the distance between the transport origin and the transport destination. The transport vehicle information indicates the type of vehicle 40 used to transport the storage box 50. The road type indicates the type of road on the route along which the storage box 50 was transported. Note that if the moving body transporting the storage box 50 is not a vehicle 40, for example, a freight car or ship is set as the transport vehicle information, and for example, railroad, coastal, or open ocean is set as the road type.

[0045] Note that the vehicles 40 include vehicles that emit CO2 using an internal combustion engine that uses fossil fuels, and vehicles that do not emit CO2, such as electric vehicles. Therefore, if the transport route of the storage box 50 includes a route in which the storage box 50 was transported by a vehicle that does not emit CO2, the amount of CO2 emissions due to transport on that route is considered to be zero. Therefore, in the transport history table, information on whether or not the vehicle 40 emits CO2 may be associated with the above information. If the vehicle 40 does not emit CO2, the CO2 emission coefficient described below can be set to zero, so that the amount of CO2 emissions due to transport can be calculated as zero.

[0046] In addition, in the transportation history table, the above information may be associated with whether or not the vehicle is autonomous and whether or not the vehicle 40 emits CO2. In such a case, it is more preferable because the CO2 emission coefficient described later can be made different depending on whether or not the vehicle is autonomous and whether or not the vehicle 40 emits CO2.

[0047] In the example shown in FIG. 4, for example, ID information "001" is associated with origin information "manufacturer's warehouse", destination information "logistics warehouse", transport distance "300 km", transport vehicle information "large vehicle", and road type "expressway". Also, ID information "001" is associated with origin information "logistics warehouse", destination information "A dealer's warehouse", transport distance "80 km", transport vehicle information "small vehicle", and road type "general road". Furthermore, ID information "002" is associated with origin information "manufacturer's factory", destination information "manufacturer's warehouse", transport distance "150 km", transport vehicle information "medium vehicle", and road type "expressway".

[0048] The control unit 250 may create and update the above-mentioned transport history table in various ways. For example, when the control unit 250 receives transport information indicating the ID information and transport origin information of the storage box 50 via the communication unit 210, the control unit 250 may set the ID information and transport origin information included in the received transport information in association with the transport history table. Furthermore, when the control unit 250 receives transport information indicating the ID information and transport destination information of the storage box 50 via the communication unit 210, the control unit 250 may extract an entry for which transport destination information has not been set from among the entries associated with the ID information included in the transport information in the transport history table, and set the transport destination information included in the transport information in association with the entry.

[0049] It is possible that the destination is already determined at the time transportation is started, and transportation information including ID information, transportation source information, and transportation destination information is received by the communication unit 210. In such a case, the control unit 250 may set the ID information, transportation source information, and transportation destination information included in the transportation information received by the communication unit 210 in association with the transportation history table. Alternatively, when the distribution management device 20 transmits instructions regarding the transportation of the storage box 50 to each information terminal 10, the control unit 250 may set the ID information, transportation source information, and transportation destination information in association with the transportation history table in accordance with the contents of the transmitted instructions.

[0050] The control unit 250 sets the transportation distance in the transportation history table based on the transportation origin information and the transportation destination information. Specifically, the control unit 250 may set the distance between the transportation origin and the transportation destination specified based on the map information as the transportation distance. In addition, when the distance according to the combination of the transportation origin and the transportation destination is known, the control unit 250 may set the known distance as the transportation distance.

[0051] When the transport information received from the information terminal 10 includes information indicating a transport vehicle, the control unit 250 may set transport vehicle information in the transport history table based on the information. Alternatively, when the distribution management device 20 transmits instructions regarding the transport of the storage box 50, including the designation of a transport vehicle, to each information terminal 10, the control unit 250 may set transport vehicle information in the transport history table based on the content of the transmitted instructions. Note that a large vehicle is, for example, a vehicle with a maximum load capacity of more than 6.5 tons. A medium-sized vehicle is, for example, a vehicle with a maximum load capacity of more than 3 tons and not more than 6.5 tons. A small vehicle is, for example, a vehicle with a maximum load capacity of 3 tons or less.

[0052] The control unit 250 sets the road type in the transportation history table based on the transportation origin information and the transportation destination information. Specifically, the control unit 250 may identify the type of road that is dominant on the route between the transportation origin and the transportation destination based on the map information, and set the identified type as the road type in the transportation history table. In addition, when the relationship between the combination of the transportation origin and the transportation destination and the dominant road type is known, the control unit 250 may set the known road type as the road type. Note that, instead of setting the type of road that is dominant on the route as the road type, the control unit 250 may set the type of road that the vehicle 40 has actually traveled, such as "100 km of expressway and 50 km of general road," as the road type.

[0053] Note that the transport information transmitted by each of the information terminals 10 may include a time stamp. In such a case, the control unit 250 may manage the transport start time and the transport end time in the transport history table based on the time stamp included in the transport information. Alternatively, the control unit 250 may manage the transport start time and the transport end time in the transport history table based on the reception time of each piece of transport information.

[0054] (Cleaning History Table) Fig. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a cleaning history table. The cleaning history table is a table showing the cleaning history of each of the storage boxes 50. As shown in Fig. 5, in the cleaning history table, ID information and the number of cleanings are associated with each other.

[0055] The ID information is ID information of the storage box 50. The number of washes indicates the number of times the storage box 50 has been washed. In the example shown in Fig. 5, for example, the ID information "001" is associated with the number of washes "5". Also, the ID information "002" is associated with the number of washes "3".

[0056] The control unit 250 may create and update the above-mentioned cleaning history table in various ways. For example, when cleaning of the storage box 50 is performed at the storage box recovery site, the control unit 250 may update the cleaning history table based on receiving a cleaning execution notification including ID information of the storage box 50 that has been cleaned from the information terminal 10F used at the storage box recovery site. Specifically, the control unit 250 can set the number of cleanings of the storage box 50 in the cleaning history table by incrementing by 1 the number of cleanings associated with the ID information of the storage box 50 included in the received cleaning execution notification.

[0057] <Information terminal configuration> Fig. 6 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an information terminal 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in Fig. 6, the information terminal 10 includes a communication unit 110, a reading unit 120, an operation unit 130, an imaging unit 134, an output unit 140, and a control unit 150. Note that the reading unit 120, the operation unit 130, the imaging unit 134, and the output unit 140 may be external devices of the information terminal 10.

[0058] The communication unit 110 is an interface with the distribution management device 20, and functions as a receiving unit that receives various information from the distribution management device 20, and as a transmitting unit that transmits various information to the distribution management device 20. For example, when the storage box 50 is transported to another base, the communication unit 110 may transmit to the distribution management device 20 transport information including the ID information of the storage box 50 read by the reading unit 120. Furthermore, the communication unit 110 may receive instructions regarding the transport of the storage box 50 from the distribution management device 20.

[0059] The reading unit 120 reads the ID information of the containing box 50 from the ID information presenting unit of the containing box 50. When the ID information of the containing box 50 is stored in the IC chip 52, the reading unit 120 may read the ID information from the IC chip 52. When the ID information of the containing box 50 is coded in a code such as a barcode or a two-dimensional code, the reading unit 120 may read the ID information from the code.

[0060] The operation unit 130 is an input interface that enables a user of the information terminal 10 to input information or instructions to the information terminal 10. The operation unit 130 may be, for example, a keyboard, a mouse, or a touch panel.

[0061] The imaging unit 134 is an example of an image acquisition unit that acquires an image of a subject by forming a light image of the subject on an imaging surface and converting the light image formed on the imaging surface into an electrical signal. For example, the imaging unit 134 may capture an image of the storage box 50 in an assembled state, including a plurality of surfaces of the storage box 50, including the top surface, bottom surface, front surface, and side surfaces.

[0062] The output unit 140 outputs information or a notification to the user of the information terminal 10 under the control of the control unit 150. For example, the output unit 140 may be a display device that outputs the information or notification as a display, or may be an audio device that outputs the information or notification as a sound.

[0063] The control unit 150 controls the overall operation of the information terminal 10. For example, the control unit 150 may instruct the communication unit 110 to transmit transport information including ID information of the storage box 50 read by the reading unit 120. Furthermore, in the information terminal 10F used at the storage box recovery site, the control unit 150 may instruct the communication unit 110 to transmit a cleaning execution notification including ID information of the storage box 50 that has been cleaned.

[0064] <Analysis server configuration> Fig. 7 is a block diagram showing a configuration of the analysis server 30 according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in Fig. 7, the analysis server 30 includes a communication unit 310, a storage unit 320, and an emission amount calculation unit 350. The functions of the analysis server 30 may be implemented by being integrated with another device such as the information terminal 10 or the distribution management device 20. In particular, it is preferable that the analysis server 30 is integrated with the distribution management device 20. In such a case, the analysis server 30 does not need to communicate with the distribution management device 20 via a network, and therefore information processing can be performed at a higher speed.

[0065] The communication unit 310 is an interface with the distribution management device 20, and functions as a receiving unit that receives various information from the distribution management device 20. The communication unit 310 may receive a transport history table and a cleaning history table of the storage box 50 from the distribution management device 20. Various information included in the received transport history table and cleaning history table is used to calculate the amount of CO2 emissions by the emission calculation unit 350, as described below. In addition, the communication unit 310 may output the calculated cumulative CO2 emissions of the storage box 50 to the outside.

[0066] The storage unit 320 stores various information and parameters used in the operation of the analysis server 30. For example, the storage unit 320 may store a CO2 emission coefficient for calculating the amount of CO2 emissions during the manufacture of the storage box 50, the amount of CO2 emissions during cleaning, and the amount of CO2 emissions during transportation. The storage unit 320 may also store a CO2 emission coefficient for calculating the amount of CO2 emissions during the manufacture of the cardboard box and the amount of CO2 emissions during transportation as information for calculating the amount of CO2 emissions when the disposable cardboard box is used to transport an item.

[0067] The emission amount calculation unit 350 calculates the total cumulative CO2 emission amount of the storage box 50. Specifically, the emission amount calculation unit 350 may calculate the total cumulative CO2 emission amount of the storage box 50 by adding up the CO2 emission amount during the manufacturing of the storage box 50, the CO2 emission amount during the cleaning of the storage box 50, and the CO2 emission amount during the transportation of the storage box 50 calculated based on the transportation history of the storage box 50 transported between multiple bases. The CO2 emission amount of the storage box 50 calculated by the emission amount calculation unit 350 may be stored in the storage unit 320. For example, the emission amount calculation unit 350 may calculate the CO2 emission amount during the transportation of the storage box 50 for each transportation, and store the calculated CO2 emission amount during the transportation of the storage box 50 in the storage unit 320.

[0068] The amount of CO2 emissions during the transportation of the storage box 50 is calculated by calculating the amount of CO2 emissions for each transportation of the storage box 50 included in the transportation history, and accumulating the calculated CO2 emissions for each transportation. The amount of CO2 emissions for one transportation of the storage box 50 is calculated by apportioning the CO2 emitted by the vehicle 40 in one transportation to each loaded baggage (each item and each storage box 50 containing the items), and then adding up the amounts by storage box 50 (storage box 50 and all items contained in the storage box 50). In this way, the emission calculation unit 350 calculates the amount of CO2 emissions for one transportation for each item and storage box 50, and adds up the amounts by storage box 50, making it possible to present the amount of CO2 emissions in various formats, as described below.

[0069] The amount of CO2 emitted by the vehicle 40 in one transportation is calculated, for example, by multiplying the load (ton) of the vehicle 40 used for the transportation, the transportation distance (km), and the CO2 emission coefficient (kg-CO2 / ton·km). The load is the total mass of the goods loaded on the vehicle 40 and the luggage including the container 50. The CO2 emission coefficient is a coefficient determined from the type of the vehicle 40, the load, and the fuel efficiency of the vehicle 40, and an actual value or a value from a known database is used. The fuel efficiency of the vehicle 40 is a parameter influenced by, for example, the loading rate of the vehicle 40, the road type of the transportation route, or the road conditions of the transportation route.

[0070] That is, the amount of CO2 emitted by the vehicle 40 in one transport is calculated from the load of the vehicle 40, the transport distance, and the CO2 emission coefficient (for example, by multiplying the load of the vehicle 40, the transport distance, and the CO2 emission coefficient). Furthermore, the calculated CO2 emission amount is apportioned per transported storage box 50 (for example, apportioned by the total mass of the storage box 50 including the items contained in the storage box 50), thereby calculating the CO2 emission amount for that transport of the storage box 50. By performing such calculations for each transport and accumulating the calculation results, the CO2 emission amount based on the transport history of the storage box 50 can be calculated.

[0071] The emission amount calculation unit 350 calculates the CO2 emission amount for each transport of each storage box 50 stored in the transport history by the above-mentioned method, and can calculate the CO2 emission amount during transport of the storage box 50 by adding up the CO2 emission amounts for all past transports of each storage box 50. The transport history of each storage box 50 can be obtained, for example, from a transport history table stored in the memory unit 220 of the distribution management device 20, using the ID information of the storage box 50 as a key.

[0072] In this embodiment, it is assumed that the storage box 50 is transported only by the vehicle 40, but the present invention is not limited to the above example. For example, even if the moving body transporting the storage box 50 is a ship or a train other than the vehicle 40, it is possible to calculate the CO2 emissions using the transportation history in a similar manner by changing the CO2 emission coefficient used in the calculation to the CO2 emission coefficient of the corresponding ship or train.

[0073] The amount of CO2 emissions during the manufacturing of the containing box 50 is calculated by adding up the amounts of CO2 emissions during each process of material procurement, molding, and assembly of the containing box 50, for example.

[0074] The CO2 emissions in the material procurement process for the storage box 50 are calculated by multiplying the material mass (kg) by the CO2 emission coefficient (kg-CO2 / kg). The CO2 emission coefficient (kg-CO2 / kg) is determined from the material properties of the storage box 50 and the synthesis method of the materials, and is an actual value or a value from a publicly known database.

[0075] The CO2 emission amount in the molding process of the storage box 50 is calculated by multiplying the material mass (kg) by the CO2 emission coefficient (kg-CO2 / kg). The CO2 emission coefficient (kg-CO2 / kg) is determined from the material quality, molding shape, and molding method of the storage box 50, and is an actual value or a value from a publicly known database.

[0076] The amount of CO2 emissions in the assembly process of the storage box 50 is calculated by multiplying the resources (units) consumed during assembly by the CO2 emission coefficient (kg-CO2 / unit). The CO2 emission coefficient (kg-CO2 / unit) is a coefficient determined from the types of resources, such as electricity, water, nitrogen, or steam, consumed during assembly of the storage box 50 and the source of the resources, and is an actual value or a value from a publicly known database.

[0077] The emission calculation unit 350 may calculate the amount of CO 2 emission during the manufacturing of the containing box 50 in advance using the above-mentioned method, and store the calculated amount of CO 2 emission during the manufacturing of the containing box 50 in the storage unit 320.

[0078] The amount of CO2 emissions during washing of the storage box 50 is calculated by accumulating the amount of CO2 emissions from one washing of the storage box 50 for the number of times the storage box 50 has been washed that is included in the washing history (i.e., by multiplying the CO2 emissions from one washing by the number of times the storage box 50 has been washed that is included in the washing history). The amount of CO2 emissions from one washing of the storage box 50 is calculated, for example, by adding up the amount of CO2 emissions from procuring and heating the water used in one washing and the CO2 emissions from the equipment used in one washing (for example, the CO2 emissions from powering the equipment).

[0079] The amount of CO2 emissions from water procurement is calculated by multiplying the mass (kg) of water procured by the CO2 emission coefficient (kg-CO2 / kg). The CO2 emission coefficient (kg-CO2 / kg) is determined based on the quality and source of the water procured, and actual values ​​or values ​​from a publicly known database are used.

[0080] The amount of CO2 emissions from heating water is calculated by multiplying the mass of water (kg) being heated, the temperature at which it is heated (°C), and the CO2 emission coefficient (kg-CO2 / kg·°C). The CO2 emission coefficient (kg-CO2 / kg·°C) is determined from the type and amount of resources, such as electricity or fuel, consumed during heating, and is taken from actual data or a publicly known database.

[0081] The CO2 emissions from the equipment used in cleaning are calculated by multiplying the electricity (kWh) consumed by the cleaning equipment during cleaning by the CO2 emission coefficient (kg-CO2 / kWh). The CO2 emission coefficient (kg-CO2 / kWh) is determined by the source of the consumed electricity, and is either an actual value or a value from a publicly known database.

[0082] The emission calculation unit 350 calculates the amount of CO2 emission due to one cleaning of the storage box 50 using the above method, and accumulates the CO2 emission due to one cleaning for the number of times each storage box 50 is cleaned, which is included in the cleaning history, to calculate the cumulative CO2 emission amount during cleaning of the storage box 50. The cleaning history of each storage box 50 can be obtained, for example, from a cleaning history table stored in the memory unit 220 of the distribution management device 20, using the ID information of the storage box 50 as a key.

[0083] Based on the above, the emission amount calculation section 350 can calculate the following information.

[0084] For example, the emission calculation unit 350 can calculate the total amount of CO2 emission accumulated from the use of one storage box 50 to its disposal.

[0085] Furthermore, the emission calculation unit 350 can calculate the total amount of CO2 emission in a predetermined period, a predetermined range, or a predetermined period and range. The amount of CO2 emission during transportation and the amount of CO2 emission during cleaning can be calculated from the transportation history or cleaning history in a predetermined period, a predetermined range, or a predetermined period and range. The amount of CO2 emission during manufacturing can be calculated, for example, by apportioning the amount of CO2 emitted during the manufacturing of the storage box 50 by an amount equivalent to a predetermined period, a predetermined range, or a predetermined period and range based on the average useful life of the storage box 50.

[0086] The predetermined period, the predetermined range, or the predetermined period and range for which the emission calculation unit 350 calculates the total CO2 emission may be set, for example, by an input from a user. The analysis server 30 may include an input unit (not shown) that accepts the above input from the user, and a display unit (not shown) that displays information corresponding to the user's input. These input unit and display unit may be a display input unit such as a touch panel that is integrated with each other. Furthermore, these input unit and display unit may be provided not in the analysis server 30, but in an information processing terminal connected to the analysis server 30 via a communication line such as the Internet.

[0087] When the emission calculation unit 350 calculates the total CO2 emission amount for a specified period and range, multiple periods within the specified range, or multiple ranges within the specified period, may be input to an input unit (not shown) of the analysis server 30.

[0088] As one example, a specific type of product (e.g., shampoo) may be input to the input unit as the predetermined range, and multiple periods such as three months, six months, and one year may be input as the predetermined period. In this way, the emission amount calculation unit 350 can calculate the total CO2 emission amount for the specific type of product for three months, six months, and one year, respectively. As another example, one year may be input to the input unit as the predetermined period, and multiple business partners such as store A and store B may be input as the predetermined range, respectively. In this way, the emission amount calculation unit 350 can calculate the total CO2 emission amount due to the transportation of products to multiple business partners for one year, respectively.

[0089] For example, the emission calculation unit 350 can calculate the total CO2 emission amount for one storage box 50 in one cycle from the manufacturer's factory, via the store, and back to the manufacturer's factory, thereby calculating the total CO2 emission amount for one storage box 50 in that one cycle.

[0090] Furthermore, the emission calculation unit 350 can calculate the total amount of CO2 emissions generated when one item is transported in the storage box 50 from the manufacturer's factory to the store. Specifically, as described above, the emission calculation unit 350 can calculate the amount of CO2 emissions related to the transportation of the one item itself by apportioning (for example, by apportioning according to mass) the amount of CO2 emitted by the vehicle 40 in one transportation to each loaded baggage (each item and each storage box 50 containing the items). Similarly, the emission calculation unit 350 can calculate the amount of CO2 emissions related to one transportation of the storage box 50 containing the item. Furthermore, the emission calculation unit 350 can calculate the amount of CO2 emissions related to the transportation of the storage box 50 of the one item by apportioning (for example, by apportioning according to mass) the calculated CO2 emissions related to the transportation of the storage box 50 itself to each of all items contained in the storage box 50. The sum of the above two amounts of CO2 emissions is the CO2 emissions during one transportation of one item. Regarding the CO2 emissions during cleaning, the cumulative CO2 emissions during cleaning are divided by the number of transports to obtain the CO2 emissions during cleaning per transport. Regarding the CO2 emissions during manufacturing, the cumulative CO2 emissions during manufacturing are divided by the average number of transports performed during the average useful life of the storage box 50 to obtain the CO2 emissions during manufacturing corresponding to one transport. Next, the emission calculation unit 350 can calculate the CO2 emissions during cleaning and the CO2 emissions during manufacturing by apportioning the CO2 emissions during cleaning per transport and the CO2 emissions during manufacturing corresponding to one transport according to the mass in the same manner as the CO2 emissions related to the transport of the storage box 50 itself. The emission calculation unit 350 can calculate the total CO2 emissions when transporting one item from the manufacturer's factory to the store by adding up the CO2 emissions during each transport, the CO2 emissions during cleaning, and the CO2 emissions during manufacturing.

[0091] That is, the total amount of CO2 emissions generated when one item is transported in a storage box 50 from a manufacturer's factory to a store is calculated by adding up the amount of CO2 emissions during each transport, the amount of CO2 emissions during cleaning, and the amount of CO2 emissions during manufacturing. The amount of CO2 emissions during each transport is calculated by apportioning the CO2 emissions emitted by the vehicle 40 during each transport to the item and the storage box 50 that stores the item (for example, by apportioning according to mass). The amount of CO2 emissions during cleaning is calculated by apportioning the total amount of CO2 emissions during cleaning, for example, according to the number of transports, and further apportioning according to the mass of the item and the storage box 50 that stores the item. The amount of CO2 emissions during manufacturing is calculated by apportioning the total amount of CO2 emissions during manufacturing, for example, according to the number of transports, and further apportioning according to the mass of the item and the storage box 50 that stores the item.

[0092] For example, the emission calculation unit 350 can calculate the total CO2 emission amount for a specific type of item in a specific period (e.g., one year). Specifically, the emission calculation unit 350 can calculate the CO2 emission amount generated in the transportation of a specific type of item in one year by adding up, for each type of item, the CO2 emission amount during transportation of the item, the CO2 emission amount during cleaning of the storage box 50 used for the item transportation, and the CO2 emission amount during manufacturing of the storage box 50 used for the item transportation. Note that, for the CO2 emission amount during cleaning and the CO2 emission amount during manufacturing, an apportionment for each transportation may be used instead of a cumulative total.

[0093] For example, as described above, the emission calculation unit 350 can calculate the amount of CO2 emissions during transportation of a specific type of item in one year by adding up the CO2 emissions during each transportation of one specific type of item for one year. Also, the emission calculation unit 350 can calculate the amount of CO2 emissions during cleaning based on the one-year cleaning history of the storage box 50 used to transport the specific type of item. Furthermore, the emission calculation unit 350 can calculate the amount of CO2 emissions during manufacturing equivalent to one year based on the average useful life of the storage box 50 used to transport the specific type of item.

[0094] Therefore, the emission calculation unit 350 can calculate the amount of CO2 emissions generated during the transportation of a specific type of item over a one-year period by adding up, for each type of item, the CO2 emissions during the transportation, cleaning, and manufacturing processes.

[0095] Furthermore, the emission calculation unit 350 can calculate the total amount of CO2 emission for a specific shipping destination (store, etc.) of the goods in a specific period (for example, one year). Specifically, the emission calculation unit 350 can calculate the total amount of CO2 emission generated in the transportation of the goods to the specific shipping destination in one year by adding up, for each shipping destination of the goods, the total amount of CO2 emission during the transportation of the goods, the CO2 emission during the cleaning of the storage box 50 used for the transportation of the goods, and the CO2 emission during the manufacturing of the storage box 50 used for the transportation of the goods.

[0096] For example, as described above, the emission calculation unit 350 can calculate the total CO2 emission during transportation to a specific shipping destination in one year by adding up the CO2 emission during each transportation of one item to a specific shipping destination for one year. Also, the emission calculation unit 350 can calculate the CO2 emission during cleaning based on the cleaning history of the storage box 50 used to transport the item to the specific shipping destination for one year. Furthermore, the emission calculation unit 350 can calculate the CO2 emission during manufacturing for one year based on the average useful life of the storage box 50 used to transport the item to the specific shipping destination.

[0097] Therefore, the emission calculation unit 350 can calculate the amount of CO2 emissions generated in the transportation of goods to a specific destination in one year by adding up the CO2 emissions during the transportation, cleaning, and manufacturing for each destination of the goods.

[0098] Furthermore, the emission calculation unit 350 can calculate the total CO2 emission amount for the entire manufacturer for a specific period (for example, one year). Specifically, the emission calculation unit 350 can calculate the total CO2 emission amount generated in the transportation of goods in one year by the manufacturer by adding up the total CO2 emission amount during the transportation of all goods by the manufacturer, the CO2 emission amount during the cleaning of the storage box 50 used for the transportation of the goods, and the CO2 emission amount during the manufacturing of the storage box 50 used for the transportation of the goods.

[0099] Furthermore, the emission calculation unit 350 may calculate the total cumulative CO2 emission amount when a disposable cardboard box is used instead of the reusable storage box 50. Specifically, the total cumulative CO2 emission amount when a cardboard box is used instead of the storage box 50 is calculated by adding up the CO2 emission amount during the manufacturing of the cardboard box and the CO2 emission amount during the transportation of the cardboard box.

[0100] The amount of CO2 emissions during the transportation of cardboard boxes is calculated by calculating the amount of CO2 emissions during each transportation from the manufacturer's factory to the store among all the transportation of the storage boxes 50 that are replaced by cardboard boxes, and then cumulatively adding up the calculated CO2 emissions during each transportation. The amount of CO2 emissions during one transportation of cardboard boxes is calculated by apportioning the CO2 emitted by the vehicle 40 during one transportation to each loaded cargo (each item and each cardboard box containing items), and then adding up the amounts by cardboard box (the cardboard box and all the items contained in it).

[0101] The amount of CO2 emitted by the vehicle 40 in one transportation is calculated by, for example, multiplying the load (ton) of the vehicle 40 used for the transportation, the transportation distance (km), and the CO2 emission coefficient (kg-CO2 / ton·km). The load is the total mass of the goods loaded on the vehicle 40, including the items and the cardboard boxes. The CO2 emission coefficient is a coefficient determined from the type of the vehicle 40, the load, and the fuel efficiency of the vehicle 40, and an actual value or a value from a publicly known database is used. The fuel efficiency of the vehicle 40 is a parameter influenced by, for example, the loading rate of the vehicle 40, the road type of the transportation route, or the road conditions of the transportation route.

[0102] The emission calculation unit 350 calculates the amount of CO2 emissions for each transport from the manufacturer's factory to the store out of all transports of the storage boxes 50 that are replaced with cardboard boxes, using the above-mentioned method, and can calculate the amount of CO2 emissions during the transport of the cardboard boxes by adding up the calculated CO2 emissions.

[0103] The amount of CO2 emissions during the manufacture of cardboard boxes is calculated by adding up the CO2 emissions from each process, for example, procuring materials for the cardboard box and assembling it.

[0104] The CO2 emissions from the material procurement process for cardboard boxes are calculated by multiplying the material mass (kg) by the CO2 emission coefficient (kg-CO2 / kg). The CO2 emission coefficient (kg-CO2 / kg) is determined based on the procurement method of the material for the cardboard boxes, and is either an actual value or a value from a publicly known database.

[0105] The amount of CO2 emissions from the assembly process of a cardboard box is calculated by multiplying the resources (units) consumed during assembly by the CO2 emission coefficient (kg-CO2 / unit). The CO2 emission coefficient (kg-CO2 / unit) is determined from the types of resources consumed during assembly, such as electricity, water, nitrogen, or steam, and the source of the resources, and is based on actual values ​​or values ​​from a publicly known database.

[0106] The emission amount calculation unit 350 may calculate the amount of CO2 emission during the manufacture of the cardboard box by the above-mentioned method. Alternatively, the emission amount calculation unit 350 may obtain the amount of CO2 emission during the manufacture of the cardboard box from the supplier of the cardboard box.

[0107] Furthermore, the emission calculation unit 350 may further calculate the difference between the cumulative total CO2 emission when a cardboard box is used instead of the storage box 50 and the cumulative total CO2 emission of the storage box 50 as the CO2 emission reduction amount due to the storage box 50.

[0108] For example, the emission calculation unit 350 can calculate the amount of CO2 emission reduction caused by the storage box 50 by taking the difference between the total accumulated CO2 emission amount from the use to disposal of one storage box 50 and the total accumulated CO2 emission amount when one storage box 50 is replaced with a cardboard box.

[0109] For example, the emission calculation unit 350 can calculate the amount of CO2 emission reduction for one storage box 50 in one cycle by setting the range for calculating the total CO2 emission for each storage box 50 as one cycle from the manufacturer's factory, via the store, and back to the manufacturer's factory again.

[0110] Furthermore, the emission calculation unit 350 can calculate the amount of CO2 emission reduction caused by the storage box 50 when one item is transported from the manufacturer's factory to the store. Specifically, the amount of CO2 emission reduction caused by transporting one item from the manufacturer's factory to the store is calculated by taking the difference between the total CO2 emission of the storage box 50 in one cycle (from the manufacturer's factory to the store and back to the manufacturer's factory again) and the total CO2 emission of the cardboard box in one cycle (from the manufacturer's factory to the store).

[0111] For example, the emission amount calculation unit 350 can calculate the amount of CO2 emission reduction by the storage box 50 for a specific type of item in a specific period (e.g., one year). Specifically, the emission amount calculation unit 350 can calculate the amount of CO2 emission reduction by the storage box 50 in the transportation of the specific type of item in one year by taking the difference between the total amount of CO2 emission generated in the transportation of the specific type of item in the storage box 50 for one year and the total amount of CO2 emission generated in the transportation of the specific type of item in a cardboard box for one year.

[0112] Furthermore, the emission amount calculation unit 350 can calculate the amount of CO2 emission reduction by the storage box 50 for a specific shipping destination (store, etc.) of the goods for a specific period (for example, one year). Specifically, the emission amount calculation unit 350 can calculate the amount of CO2 emission reduction by the storage box 50 in one year of transportation to the specific shipping destination by taking the difference between the total amount of CO2 emission generated by the storage box 50 in one year of transportation to the specific shipping destination and the total amount of CO2 emission generated by the cardboard box in one year of transportation to the specific shipping destination.

[0113] Furthermore, the emission amount calculation unit 350 can calculate the amount of CO2 emission reduction caused by the storage box 50 for a specific period (for example, one year) and for all manufacturers that manufacture items. Specifically, the emission amount calculation unit 350 can calculate the amount of CO2 emission reduction caused by the storage box 50 in one year of transport of the manufacturer by taking the difference between the total amount of CO2 emission caused by the transport of all the manufacturer's items in the storage box 50 for one year and the total amount of CO2 emission caused by the transport of all the manufacturer's items in cardboard boxes for one year.

[0114] The information calculated by the emission calculation unit 350 can be used for public relations purposes to customers of the goods as an initiative of the manufacturer of the goods toward ESG and SDGs.

[0115] For example, the information processing system according to an embodiment of the present invention may include a display terminal installed in a store that displays the storage box 50 that stores the article. The information processing system according to this embodiment may also include a mobile information terminal owned by a customer of the store in addition to or instead of the display terminal installed in the store. These display terminals or mobile information terminals become part of the information processing system according to this embodiment by installing an application program for the terminal, and can communicate with the analysis server 30 via the Internet or the like. This allows the display terminal or mobile information terminal to display information about the displayed storage box 50. Below, the display terminal installed in the store will be described, but the mobile information terminals owned by customers of the store can also function and operate in the same way as the display terminal.

[0116] Specifically, the display terminal includes an ID information reading unit that reads the ID information of the storage box 50 from the ID information presentation unit of the storage box 50, and a display unit that displays information related to the storage box 50 from which the ID information has been read. The display terminal may obtain, for example, information related to at least one of the total CO2 emissions and the amount of CO2 emission reduction of the storage box 50 from which the ID information has been read, from the analysis server 30, and display this information on the display unit. This allows a manufacturer of goods to easily visualize efforts toward ESG and SDGs using the storage box 50 for customers via a display terminal installed in the store.

[0117] The information on at least one of the total CO2 emissions and the CO2 emission reduction amount by the storage box 50 may be used for other purposes. For example, the information may be used for information disclosure to stakeholders (e.g., annual reports, etc.).

[0118] <Operation> The operation of the analysis server 30 according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Fig. 8. Fig. 8 is a flow chart showing an example of the operation of the analysis server 30 according to one embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 8 shows an example of the operation of the analysis server 30 when, in a store where storage boxes 50 containing articles are displayed, information on the amount of CO2 emission reduction due to the displayed storage boxes 50 is presented to customers via a display terminal.

[0119] 8, first, the analysis server 30 receives ID information of the storage box 50 read by the display terminal of the store from the display terminal (S404). Next, the analysis server 30 acquires the transportation history and cleaning history of the storage box 50 corresponding to the acquired ID information from the distribution management device 20 (S408).

[0120] Next, the analysis server 30 calculates the amount of CO2 emission during transportation of the storage box 50 based on the transportation history of the storage box 50 (S412). Next, the analysis server 30 acquires the amount of CO2 emission during manufacturing of the storage box 50 and the amount of CO2 emission during cleaning from the memory unit 320 (S416). Note that the amount of CO2 emission during cleaning of the storage box 50 can be calculated by adding the CO2 emission from one cleaning stored in the memory unit 320 by the number of times the storage box 50 has been cleaned stored in the cleaning history.

[0121] Thereafter, the analysis server 30 can calculate the total CO2 emission amount of the storage box 50 by adding up the CO2 emission amount during transportation of the storage box 50, the CO2 emission amount during manufacturing, and the CO2 emission amount during cleaning (S420).

[0122] Next, the analysis server 30 calculates the total CO2 emission amount when a cardboard box is used instead of the storage box 50 (S424). The total CO2 emission amount when a cardboard box is used instead of the storage box 50 is the sum of the CO2 emission amount during the manufacturing of the cardboard box and the CO2 emission amount during the transportation of the cardboard box. Furthermore, the analysis server 30 calculates the CO2 emission reduction amount due to the storage box 50 by subtracting the total CO2 emission amount of the storage box 50 from the total CO2 emission amount when a cardboard box is used instead of the storage box 50 (S428).

[0123] Thereafter, the analysis server 30 transmits information regarding the calculated amount of CO2 emission reduction by the storage box 50 to the display terminal of the store (S432). This allows the display terminal of the store to display the amount of CO2 emission reduced by replacing the cardboard box with the storage box 50 displayed in the store. Therefore, the display terminal of the store can present the effort to reduce the environmental load by the storage box 50 displayed in the store as the amount of CO2 emission reduction to customers in an easy-to-understand manner.

[0124] The method of presenting the amount of CO2 emissions reduced by the storage box 50 is not limited to the above. For example, the display terminal of the store may display the amount of CO2 emissions when the storage box 50 is used and the amount of CO2 emissions when a cardboard box is used instead of the storage box 50 side by side so that they can be compared. Furthermore, the display terminal of the store may use diagrams or graphs instead of or in addition to numerical values ​​when presenting information.

[0125] <Action and effect> According to the embodiment of the present invention described above, various effects are achieved. For example, according to the embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to quantify the environmental load when using the reusable storage box 50 to transport items as a total amount of CO2 emissions. With this configuration, it is possible to more clearly visualize the efforts to reduce the environmental load caused by the storage box 50 when transporting items. For example, it is possible to visualize the extent to which CO2 emissions have been reduced by using the reusable storage box 50 instead of a disposable cardboard box when transporting items. This allows manufacturers of items to clearly appeal to customers who purchase the items about their efforts toward ESG and SDGs.

[0126] <Hardware configuration> The embodiment of the present invention has been described above. The information processing such as the calculation of the CO2 emission amount described above is realized by cooperation between software and hardware. Below, an example of a hardware configuration that can be applied to the information terminal 10, the distribution management device 20, the analysis server 30, etc. will be described.

[0127] Fig. 9 is an explanatory diagram showing a hardware configuration 90. As shown in Fig. 9, the hardware configuration 90 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 901, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 902, a RAM (Random Access Memory) 903, an input device 908, an output device 910, a memory device 911, an imaging device 913, and a communication device 915.

[0128] The CPU 901 functions as an arithmetic processing device and a control device, and controls the overall operation of the hardware configuration 90 according to various programs. The CPU 901 may be a microprocessor. The ROM 902 stores programs and arithmetic parameters used by the CPU 901. The RAM 903 temporarily stores programs used in the execution of the CPU 901 and parameters that change appropriately in the execution. The CPU 901, the ROM 902, and the RAM 903 are connected to each other by a host bus consisting of a CPU bus or the like. The functions of the control unit 250 of the distribution management device 20, the control unit 150 of the information terminal 10, and the emission amount calculation unit 350 of the analysis server 30 can be realized by cooperation between the CPU 901, the ROM 902, and the RAM 903, and software. It is also possible to create a program for causing hardware such as the CPU 901, the ROM 902, and the RAM 903 built into the computer to perform functions equivalent to the control unit 250 of the distribution management device 20, the control unit 150 of the information terminal 10, and the emission amount calculation unit 350 of the analysis server 30. It is also possible to provide a computer-readable recording medium on which the program is recorded.

[0129] The input device 908 is composed of input means for the user to input information, such as a mouse, keyboard, touch panel, button, microphone, switch, or lever, and an input control circuit that generates an input signal based on the user's input and outputs it to the CPU 901. The user can input various data and instruct processing operations by operating the input device 908.

[0130] The output device 910 includes a display device such as a liquid crystal display (LCD) device, an OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diode) device, or a lamp. Furthermore, the output device 910 includes an audio output device such as a speaker or a headphone. For example, the display device can display a captured image or a generated image. The audio output device can convert audio data or the like into audio and output it.

[0131] The memory device 911 is a device for storing data, and corresponds to the memory unit 220 of the distribution management device 20 and the memory unit 320 of the analysis server 30. The memory device 911 may include a storage medium, a recording device for recording data in the storage medium, a reading device for reading data from the storage medium, and a deleting device for deleting data recorded in the storage medium. The memory device 911 may store the programs executed by the CPU 901 and various data.

[0132] The imaging device 913 includes an imaging optical system such as a photographing lens and a zoom lens that collect light, and a signal conversion element such as a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) image sensor or a CMOS (Complementary Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor) image sensor. The imaging optical system collects light emitted from a subject and forms a subject image on a signal conversion section, and the signal conversion element converts the formed subject image into an electrical image signal.

[0133] The communication device 915 is, for example, a communication interface configured with a communication device for connecting to a network, and corresponds to the communication unit 110 of the information terminal 10, the communication unit 210 of the distribution management device 20, and the communication unit 310 of the analysis server 30. The communication device 915 may be a wireless LAN (Local Area Network) compatible communication device, an LTE (Long Term Evolution) (registered trademark) compatible communication device, or a wired communication device that performs wired communication.

[0134] Although the preferred embodiment of the present invention has been described in detail above with reference to the accompanying drawings, the present invention is not limited to such an example. It is clear that a person having ordinary knowledge in the technical field to which the present invention pertains can conceive of various modified or altered examples within the scope of the technical ideas described in the claims, and it is understood that these also naturally belong to the technical scope of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0135] 10 Information terminals 110 Communications Department 120 Reading unit 130 Operation section 134 Imaging unit 140 Output section 150 Control section 20 Distribution management equipment 210 Communications Department 220 Storage section 250 Control section 30 Analysis Server 310 Communications Department 320 Storage section 350 Emissions Calculation Department 40 vehicles 50 Storage Box 52 IC chip

Claims

1. a storage unit that stores ID information attached to a container that contains an item and is repeatedly transported between a plurality of bases, in association with each transport of the container between the bases; The cumulative CO ２ an emission calculation unit for calculating a total emission amount; Including, The CO ２ The total emission amount is calculated based on the transport history of the container stored in the storage unit. ２ Information processing systems, including emissions.

2. The CO ２ The total emissions are calculated as follows: ２ CO emissions during the manufacture of the storage box ２ and CO2 emissions during cleaning of the storage box ２ The information processing system according to claim 1 , wherein the total amount of the carbon dioxide emitted is a sum of the carbon dioxide and the carbon dioxide emission amount.

3. The emission calculation unit calculates the amount of CO ２ The information processing system according to claim 1 , wherein a total emission amount is calculated.

4. an input unit into which the predetermined period, the predetermined range, or the predetermined period and range are input by a user; a display unit that displays a display corresponding to the user's input; The information processing system according to claim 3 , further comprising:

5. The information processing system according to claim 4 , wherein the input unit is capable of inputting a plurality of the predetermined periods for the predetermined range.

6. The information processing system according to claim 4 , wherein the input unit is capable of inputting a plurality of the predetermined ranges for the predetermined period.

7. The emission calculation unit calculates the cumulative CO ２ The information processing system according to claim 1 , further comprising: a calculation unit for calculating a total emission amount.

8. The emission calculation unit calculates the cumulative CO ２ Total emissions and cumulative CO2 when using the storage box ２ The difference between the total emissions is CO ２ The information processing system according to claim 7, further calculating the amount of emission reduction as:

9. A display terminal further included in the information processing system according to any one of claims 1 to 8, an ID information reading unit for reading ID information assigned to the storage box; The CO of the container from which the ID information was read ２ a display unit that displays the total amount of discharged material; A display terminal comprising:

10. The display unit displays the ID information of the container. ２ The display terminal according to claim 9 dependent on claim 8, further displaying an amount of emission reduction.

11. A display terminal further included in the information processing system according to claim 8, an ID information reading unit for reading ID information assigned to the storage box; The CO ２ a display unit that displays the amount of emission reduction; A display terminal comprising:

12. Computer, a storage unit that stores ID information attached to a container that contains an item and is repeatedly transported between a plurality of bases, in association with each transport of the container between the bases; The cumulative CO ２ an emission calculation unit for calculating a total emission amount; It functions as The CO ２ The total emission amount is calculated based on the transport history of the storage box stored in the storage unit. ２ Program to include emissions.

Images