Lending management system, and lending management method

Abstract

To provide a lending management system and a lending management method which, with a simple system arrangement, can execute lending processing of an article stored in a mechanical storage.SOLUTION: A lending management system 1A according to the present invention has a parking lot management apparatus 20A for managing a mechanical parking lot 100A, a lending management apparatus 40A for managing lending of a lending target vehicle X1 stored in the mechanical parking lot 100A, and an in-vehicle target article Xa1 for controlling a vehicle key switching a state of the lending target article X1 between states in which a vehicle can be used and cannot be used. The lending management apparatus 40A for carrying out management authorizes use of the lending target article X1 for a parking lot registrant U1 if acquiring a use authorization request including identification information of the parking lot registrant U1 who reserved use of the lending target vehicle X1 in advance. The in-vehicle device Xa1 unlocks the vehicle key of the lending target vehicle X1 once the lending management apparatus 40A authorizes use of the lending target article X1 for the parking lot registrant U1.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a lending management system and a lending management method.

Background Art

[0002] In recent years, services that lend out items stored in a storage facility to users, such as a car rental service or a car-sharing service that lends out vehicles parked in a parking lot to users, have become widespread. By performing a reservation procedure in advance with the providers of these services, users can have the vehicles parked in the parking lot released and used at a desired date and time.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] When lending out a vehicle stored in a mechanical parking lot, it is necessary for an administrator to perform operations such as delivering the vehicle key to the user and releasing the vehicle, which is a time-consuming task. In view of this, there is a technique of installing a key management device for managing the vehicle keys of vehicles to be lent out and coordinating this key management device with a parking lot management device for managing the entry and exit operations of the parking lot, so as to perform the delivery of vehicle keys unmanned and execute the lending process for vehicles stored in a mechanical parking lot (for example, Patent Document 1).

[0005] However, when a lending management device for performing reservation processing for a user to use a vehicle to be lent out and a parking lot management device for managing a mechanical parking lot are provided separately, the system configuration becomes complicated when using this technique, and there is a problem that it takes time to install.

[0006] The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide a lending management system and a lending management method that can execute a lending process for articles stored in a mechanical storage with a simple system configuration.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0007] The lending management system of the present invention for achieving the above object includes an article storage management device that manages a mechanical article storage, a lending management device that manages lending of lending target articles stored in the mechanical article storage, and a key controller that controls a key for switching the availability state of the lending target article. The lending management device includes a reservation information storage unit that stores reservation information for using the lending target article, including identification information of a user of the lending target article, and an authentication unit that, when acquiring a use authentication request for the lending target article including the identification information of the user, authenticates the use of the lending target article for the user based on the reservation information stored in the reservation information storage unit. The key controller has a switching control unit that locks the key when the lending target article is stored in the mechanical article storage and switches to unlocking the key when the use of the lending target article for the user is authenticated by the authentication unit. The article storage management device has an out-of-storage processing unit that performs an out-of-storage process for an article corresponding to an out-of-storage request operation when an out-of-storage request operation for an article stored in the mechanical article storage is performed by a user of the mechanical article storage.

[0008] Another form of the lending management system of the present invention includes an article storage management device for managing a mechanical article storage, and a lending management device communicably connected to the article storage management device and managing lending target articles stored in the mechanical article storage. The lending management device includes a reservation processing unit that acquires reservation information for using the lending target articles, including identification information of users of the lending target articles, and a transmission control unit that transmits the reservation information acquired by the reservation processing unit to the article storage management device as authentication information used for authentication of a lending use start request for the lending target articles. The article storage management device includes an authentication information storage unit that stores the authentication information transmitted from the lending management device, and when acquiring a lending use start request for the lending target articles, determines whether to authenticate the use of the lending target articles by the user based on the information stored in the authentication information storage unit, and when authenticating the use of the lending target articles by the user, includes an outbound processing unit that performs an outbound processing of the lending target articles.

[0009] Another form of the lending management system of the present invention includes an article storage management device for managing a mechanical article storage, a lending management device for managing lending target articles stored in the mechanical article storage, and an input / output device communicably connected to the article storage management device and the lending management device. The lending management device includes a reservation information storage unit that stores reservation information for using the lending target articles, including identification information of users of the lending target articles; an authentication unit that determines whether to authenticate the lending start request based on the reservation information stored in the reservation information storage unit when the lending start request for the lending target articles including the identification information of the user is obtained from the input / output device; and a transmission control unit that transmits an authentication notice for this request to the input / output device when the authentication unit determines that the lending start request is to be authenticated. The input / output device transmits the lending start request input by the user to the lending management device, and has a transmission control unit that transmits an out-of-stock instruction for the lending target articles to the article storage management device when the authentication notice is obtained from the lending management device in response to transmitting the lending start request. The article storage management device has an out-of-stock processing unit that performs an out-of-stock process for the lending target articles when the out-of-stock instruction transmitted from the input / output device is obtained.

[0010] Also, in the lending management method of the present invention, when a lending target article is stored in a mechanical article storage, a key controller locks a key for switching the availability status of the lending target article, and a lending management device communicably connected to the key controller and managing the lending of the lending target article determines whether to authenticate the use of the lending target article by the user based on reservation information for using the lending target article stored in advance when the lending authentication request for the lending target article including the identification information of the user of the lending target article is obtained, and when the use of the lending target article by the user is authenticated, the key controller unlocks the key.

[0011] In another form of the lending management method of the present invention, when a lending management device that manages lending target items stored in a mechanical item storage warehouse acquires reservation information for using the lending target items, which includes identification information of the user of the lending target items, the lending management device transmits the reservation information as authentication information to be used for authentication of a lending start request for the lending target items to an item storage warehouse management device that manages the mechanical item storage warehouse. When the item storage warehouse management device stores the authentication information transmitted from the lending management device and acquires a lending start request for the lending target items, it determines whether to authenticate the use of the lending target items by the user based on the stored information. When it authenticates the use of the lending target items by the user, it performs an outbound process for the lending target items.

[0012] In another form of the lending management method of the present invention, a lending management device that manages lending target items stored in a mechanical item storage warehouse stores reservation information for using the lending target items, which includes identification information of the user of the lending target items. When the lending management device acquires a lending start request for the lending target items, which includes the identification information of the user, from an input / output device communicably connected to the lending management device, it authenticates the lending start request based on the stored reservation information and transmits an authentication notice to the input / output device. When the input / output device acquires the authentication notice, it transmits an outbound instruction for the lending target items to an item storage warehouse management device that manages the mechanical item storage warehouse. When the item storage warehouse management device acquires the outbound instruction transmitted from the input / output device, it performs an outbound process for the lending target items.

Advantages of the Invention

[0013] According to the lending management system and lending management method of the present invention, it is possible to execute a lending process for items stored in a mechanical storage warehouse with a simple system configuration.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0014]

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Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0015] Hereinafter, as an example of the lending management system of the present invention, an embodiment of the lending management system used in a vehicle lending service such as a car rental service or a car-sharing service will be described with reference to the drawings. In this service, vehicles stored in a mechanical parking lot, which is a mechanical article storage, are provided as lending target articles for the lending service. The mechanical parking lot is installed, for example, in a condominium such as an apartment, a commercial facility, or an office building.

[0016] <<First Embodiment>> <Configuration of the lending management system according to the first embodiment> FIG. 1 is an overall view showing the configuration of a lending management system 1A according to the first embodiment of the present invention. The lending management system 1A provides a vehicle lending service using the lending target vehicles stored in the mechanical parking lot 100A.

[0017] The mechanical parking lot 100A includes an entrance / exit 11 for vehicles to enter and exit, a plurality of storage spaces 12-1 to 12-8 for storing vehicles, a plurality of pallets 13-1 to 13-8 which are carriers for loading and transporting vehicles, a driving device 14 for moving these pallets 13-1 to 13-8, an operation panel 15 operated by a user installed near the entrance / exit 11, and a parking lot management device 20A as an article storage management device communicably connected to the driving device 14 and the operation panel 15. Hereinafter, when not specifying which of the storage spaces 12-1 to 12-8 it is, it is described as the storage space 12. Also, when not specifying which of the pallets 13-1 to 13-8 it is, it is described as the pallet 13.

[0018] The operation panel 15 has a first touch panel 151. The first touch panel 151 inputs information such as operations for the user of the mechanical parking lot 100A to take out the vehicles stored in the mechanical parking lot 100A and operations for storing vehicles in the mechanical parking lot 100A into the parking lot management device 20A, and outputs the information transmitted from the parking lot management device 20A.

[0019] In this embodiment, the operation panel 15 has a first touch panel 151, and the case where the user designates the processing content to be executed using this first touch panel 151 will be described, but it is not limited to this. For example, buttons for each processing content may be provided on the operation panel 15, and the user may operate these buttons to perform operations such as warehousing, inventory, or authentication processing. Or, buttons for each number, a determination button, and a display device may be provided on the operation panel 15, and numbers corresponding to each processing content are displayed on the display device. After the user visually recognizes the display on the display device and presses the number of the processing content to be executed with a button and then presses the determination button, the processing content may be designated.

[0020] Or, the operation panel 15 is provided with a sensor that detects the hand of a user within a predetermined distance and a display device. When the user holds their hand over the sensor, the display device sequentially displays a display indicating the processing content. When the user moves their hand away from the sensor, the processing content displayed on the display device may be recognized as the processing target to be executed.

[0021] The mechanical parking lot 100A stores registered vehicles possessed by pre-registered parking lot registrants and rental target vehicles that are targets for rental through a vehicle rental service. The rental target vehicle is loaded with an in-vehicle device, and the in-vehicle device functions as a switching control unit of a key controller that switches the unlocking / locking state of a vehicle key that switches the availability state of the rental target vehicle. By unlocking the vehicle key, the user can open and close the door of the rental target vehicle and start the engine. The vehicle key of the rental target vehicle is locked by the in-vehicle device while it is stored in the mechanical parking lot 100A.

[0022] The rental management system 1A includes a parking lot management device 20A and a rental management device 40A communicably connected to a communication network 30. The operation panel 15 of the mechanical parking lot 100A may have a wireless communication unit (not shown) connectable to the communication network 30.

[0023] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a detailed configuration of the parking lot management device 20A. The parking lot management device 20A includes a first storage unit 21A and a first CPU 22A. The first storage unit 21A includes a first registration information storage unit 211, a stored information storage unit 212, and a lending information storage unit 213.

[0024] The first registration information storage unit 211 stores, as registration information for each contract concluded regarding the use of the mechanical parking lot 100A, the parking lot member number, which is the identification information of this parking lot registrant in the parking lot management device 20A, issued to a user (hereinafter referred to as "parking lot registrant") who has entered into a use contract for the mechanical parking lot 100A, in association with the information of the pallet 13 registered as a carrier used when this parking lot registrant stores a vehicle in the mechanical parking lot 100A.

[0025] Here, when the storage space 12 used by each parking lot registrant is fixed, the first registration information storage unit 211 stores the identification information of the pallet 13 corresponding to this storage space 12 in association with the parking lot member number. Also, when the storage space 12 used by each parking lot registrant is not fixed, that is, when it is operated in a location-free manner, the first registration information storage unit 211 stores the information on the type of the pallet 13 registered by the user in association with the parking lot member number. There are a plurality of types of pallets 13 according to the size of the vehicle, for example, a middle roof compatible pallet, a high roof compatible pallet, or an EV charging target pallet, etc. The parking lot registrant can store any vehicle in the mechanical parking lot 100A as long as it is a vehicle of a size that can be stored on the registered pallet 13.

[0026] In addition, the first registration information storage unit 211 stores, as registration information regarding the vehicle to be rented out, the identification information of the vehicle to be rented out and the information of the pallet used when storing the vehicle to be rented out in the mechanical parking lot 100A in a linked manner. The identification information of the vehicle to be rented out is, for example, the registration number (vehicle number) of the vehicle. When the storage space 12 used by each vehicle to be rented out is fixed, the first registration information storage unit 211 stores the identification information of the pallet 13 corresponding to the storage space 12 in a linked manner with the identification information of the vehicle to be rented out. Also, when the storage space 12 used by each vehicle to be rented out is not fixed, that is, when it is operated in a location-free manner, the first registration information storage unit 211 stores the information on the type of the pallet 13 registered by the user in a linked manner with the identification information of the vehicle to be rented out.

[0027] The storage information storage unit 212 stores, in a linked manner, the information of the vehicles currently stored in the mechanical parking lot 100A and the identification information of the pallets 13 on which each vehicle is loaded. The vehicles stored in the mechanical parking lot 100A include the vehicles stored by the parking lot registrants (hereinafter referred to as "registered vehicles") and the vehicles to be rented out.

[0028] When the vehicle to be rented out is shipped out from the mechanical parking lot 100A due to being rented out, the rental information storage unit 213 stores, as rental information, the identification information of the vehicle to be rented out and the identification information of the user who rented the vehicle to be rented out in a linked manner.

[0029] The first CPU 22A (an example of a control unit or a processing unit) is a general-purpose computer including an arithmetic unit, a memory, and an input / output unit. A computer program (parking lot management program) for causing the first CPU 22A to function as a part of the parking lot management device 20A is installed. By executing the computer program, the first CPU 22A functions as a plurality of information processing circuits (221A, 222) provided in the parking lot management device 20A.

[0030] In addition, the parking lot management program can be stored in a computer-readable recording medium such as an HDD, SSD, USB memory, CD, or DVD. The computer-readable recording medium is, for example, a non-transitory recording medium. The parking lot management program can also be distributed via a communication network.

[0031] Hereinafter, an example in which a plurality of information processing circuits (221A, 222) provided in the parking lot management device 20A are realized by software will be shown. However, it is also possible to prepare dedicated hardware for executing the information processing shown below to configure the information processing circuits (221A, 222). Further, the plurality of information processing circuits (221A, 222) may be configured by individual hardware.

[0032] The first CPU 22A includes an entry / exit processing unit 221A and an operation control unit 222. The entry / exit processing unit 221A determines whether to execute the exit process of the vehicle stored in the mechanical parking lot 100A and the entry process of the vehicle into the mechanical parking lot 100A based on the information of the operation performed by the user on the first touch panel 151 of the operation panel 15 and the information stored in the first storage unit 21A.

[0033] When the entry / exit processing unit 221A determines to execute the exit process or the entry process, the operation control unit 222 controls the drive device 14 based on the determined content.

[0034] FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the detailed configuration of the lending management device 40A. The lending management device 40A includes a second storage unit 41, a second communication unit 42, and a second CPU 43A.

[0035] The second storage unit 41 includes a lent vehicle information storage unit 411, a second registration information storage unit 412, and a reservation information storage unit 413.

[0036] The lent vehicle information storage unit 411 stores the identification information of the vehicles to be lent managed by the lending management system 1A.

[0037] The second registration information storage unit 412 stores the system member number, which is the identification information of this system registrant within the lending management system 1A, issued to a user (hereinafter referred to as "system registrant") who has registered for using the lending management system 1A.

[0038] The reservation information storage unit 413 stores, as reservation information by the system registrant, the system member number of this system registrant and the identification information of the vehicle to be lent in a linked manner.

[0039] The second CPU 43A (an example of a control unit or a processing unit) is a general-purpose computer including an arithmetic unit, a memory, and an input / output unit. A computer program (lending management program) for causing it to function as a part of the lending management device 40A is installed in the second CPU 43A. By executing the computer program, the second CPU 43A functions as a plurality of information processing circuits (411, 412, 413) provided in the lending management device 40A.

[0040] In addition, the lending management program can be stored in a computer-readable recording medium such as an HDD, an SSD, a USB memory, a CD, or a DVD. The computer-readable recording medium is, for example, a non-transitory recording medium. The lending management program can also be distributed via a communication network.

[0041] Note that, hereinafter, an example of realizing a plurality of information processing circuits (411, 412, 413) provided in the lending management device 40A by software is shown. However, it is also possible to prepare dedicated hardware for executing the information processing shown below to configure the information processing circuits (411, 412, 413). Also, the plurality of information processing circuits (411, 412, 413) may be configured by individual hardware.

[0042] The second CPU 43A includes a usage registration unit 431, a reservation processing unit 432, and an authentication unit 433A. When the usage registration unit 431 receives a system registration request from the user terminal of a user who intends to use the lending management system 1A, it issues a system member number to this user, stores the issued system member number in the second registration information storage unit 412, and transmits it to this user terminal.

[0043] When the reservation processing unit 432 receives a reservation request for using a vehicle to be lent from the user terminal of a system registrant of the lending management system 1A, it determines whether a usage reservation based on this request is possible. When the reservation processing unit 432 determines that a usage reservation based on the received request is possible, it stores reservation information regarding this usage reservation in the reservation information storage unit 413 and transmits a reservation completion notice notifying that the reservation has been completed to this user terminal.

[0044] When the authentication unit 433A receives a usage authentication request for using this vehicle to be lent together with the identification information of the user from the user terminal of a system registrant of the lending management system 1A, the in-vehicle device of the vehicle to be lent, or the operation panel 15, it determines whether to authenticate the use of this vehicle to be lent to this user based on the information stored in the reservation information storage unit 413. When the authentication unit 433A determines to authenticate the use of this vehicle to be lent to this user, it generates an authentication notice and transmits it to the source of the usage authentication request.

[0045] <Operation of the lending management system according to the first embodiment> As an operation example of the lending management system 1A according to this embodiment, a case will be described where a parking lot registrant U1 who is a resident of this condominium, who has previously concluded a usage contract regarding the mechanical parking lot 100A installed in the condominium, uses the lending service of the vehicle to be lent stored in the mechanical parking lot 100A. In this embodiment, the mechanical parking lot 100A will be described by taking as an example the case where it does not fix the storage space used by each registered user or each vehicle to be lent and operates in a location-free manner.

[0046] Here, in the first registration information storage unit 211 of the parking lot management device 20A, a parking lot member number UA01, which is the identification information of the parking lot registrant U1 issued when the parking lot registrant U1 made a usage contract for the mechanical parking lot 100A, and palette type information MP indicating a middle roof-compatible palette are stored in association with each other as the type information of the palette used by this parking lot registrant U1.

[0047] The parking lot registrant U1 holds a parking lot information storage medium 50A that stores the information of the issued parking lot member number UA01. This parking lot information storage medium 50A is, for example, a membership card created by the administrator of the mechanical parking lot 100A and storing the information of the parking lot member number UA01, or a user terminal such as a smart device that stores the parking lot member number UA01 acquired from the parking lot management device 20A via the communication network 30.

[0048] Also, in the storage information storage unit 212, as vehicle information in the parking lot management device 20A for each vehicle stored in the mechanical parking lot 100A, information linking the lending vehicle information X01, which is the identification information of the vehicle X1 that is the lending target vehicle, and the identification information PL01 of the palette 13-1 on which the vehicle X1 is loaded, information linking the lending vehicle information X02, which is the identification information of the vehicle X2, and the identification information PL02 of the palette 13-2 on which the vehicle X2 is loaded, information linking the lending vehicle information X03, which is the identification information of the vehicle X3, and the identification information PL03 of the palette 13-3 on which the vehicle X3 is loaded, and information linking the parking lot registered vehicle information Y01, which is the identification information of the registered vehicle Y1 owned by the parking lot registrant U1, and the identification information PL04 of the palette 13-5 on which the registered vehicle Y1 is loaded are stored.

[0049] Also, in the lending vehicle information storage unit 411 of the lending management device 40A, as information on the lending target vehicles for each vehicle stored in the mechanical parking lot 100A, the lending vehicle information X01, which is the identification information of the vehicle X1, the lending vehicle information X02, which is the identification information of the vehicle X2, and the lending vehicle information X03, which is the identification information of the vehicle X3 are stored.

[0050] When the parking lot registrant U1 sends a system registration request from the user terminal 60A he / she holds to the lending management device 40A, the usage registration section 431 of the lending management device 40A issues a system member number UB01 which is the identification information of the parking lot registrant U1 in the lending management system 1A. The usage registration section 431 stores the issued system member number UB01 in the second registration information storage section 412 and provides the information of this system member number UB01 to the parking lot registrant U1.

[0051] The usage registration section 431 provides the information of this system member number UB01 to the parking lot registrant U1 by sending the issued system member number UB01 to the user terminal 60A or providing the user with a system information storage medium such as a card storing the information of this system member number UB01. Hereinafter, the case where this system member number UB01 is sent to and stored in the user terminal 60A will be taken as an example for explanation. Thus, the system registration process of the parking lot registrant U1 is completed.

[0052] The parking lot registrant U1 uses this system member number UB01 to send a reservation request for using the lending target vehicle X1 from the user terminal 60A to the lending management device 40A. This reservation request includes the system member number UB01 of this parking lot registrant U1, the lending vehicle information X01 of the vehicle X1 desired to be borrowed, and the usage period. The lending vehicle information desired to be borrowed may be information on the vehicle type.

[0053] In the lending management device 40A, the reservation processing section 432 determines whether a usage reservation regarding the reservation request sent from the parking lot registrant U1 is possible based on the information stored in the second storage section 41. When the reservation processing section 432 determines that the usage reservation regarding the acquired request is possible, it stores the reservation information regarding this usage reservation in the reservation information storage section 413 and sends a reservation completion notice notifying that the reservation is completed to this user terminal 60A. When the reservation processing section 432 determines that the usage reservation regarding the acquired request is impossible, it sends a reservation error notice notifying that the reservation is impossible to this user terminal 60A.

[0054] When the reserved parking lot registrant U1's reservation for the loan target vehicle X1 reaches the start date and time of use, the parking lot registrant U1 inputs the parking lot member number UA01 of the parking lot registrant U1 regarding the mechanical parking lot 100A on the first touch panel 151 of the operation panel 15 to perform a vehicle-out request operation. The operation panel 15 adds the parking lot member number UA01 of the parking lot registrant U1 to the information of the vehicle-out request operation and transmits it to the parking lot management device 20A.

[0055] Figure 4 is a flowchart showing the process executed when the parking lot management device 20A acquires the information of the vehicle-out request operation from the operation panel 15. In the parking lot management device 20A, the incoming / outgoing processing unit 221A acquires the information of the vehicle-out request operation transmitted from the operation panel 15 (the "YES" of S1).

[0056] When the incoming / outgoing processing unit 221A acquires the information of the vehicle-out request operation, based on the parking lot member number UA01 of the parking lot registrant U1 added to this information and the information stored in the first registration information storage unit 211, it recognizes that a vehicle-out request operation has been performed by a registered user who has been previously registered for the use of this mechanical parking lot 100A (the "YES" of S2).

[0057] When the incoming / outgoing processing unit 221A recognizes that a vehicle-out request operation has been performed by a registered user of the mechanical parking lot 100A, it generates screen information D1 for allowing this user to select either "rental use" of using the loan target vehicle or "normal use" of using the registered vehicle, and outputs it to the first touch panel 151 of the operation panel 15 (S3).

[0058] Figure 5 is an example of the screen information D1 output to the first touch panel 151 of the operation panel 15. The screen information D1 has a rental use operation unit D1a for performing an operation to select rental use and a normal use operation unit D1b for performing an operation to select normal use.

[0059] The parking lot registrant U1 touches the rental use operation unit D1a in the output screen information D1 to use the reserved rental target vehicle X1. The operation panel 15 transmits the operation information of the rental use operation unit D1a executed by the parking lot registrant U1 to the parking lot management device 20A.

[0060] Based on the operation information transmitted from the operation panel 15, the warehousing and outbound processing unit 221A of the parking lot management device 20A recognizes that rental use is selected (''YES'' in S4). When the warehousing and outbound processing unit 221A recognizes that rental use is selected, it acquires the information of the rental target vehicles in the mechanical parking lot 100A based on the information stored in the storage information storage unit 212. Specifically, it acquires the rental vehicle information X01 of vehicle X1, the rental vehicle information X02 of vehicle X2, and the rental vehicle information X03 of vehicle X3 that are currently stored in the mechanical parking lot 100A.

[0061] The warehousing and outbound processing unit 221A generates screen information D2 for selecting any of the acquired rental vehicle information X01, XA02, and XA03 and outputs it to the first touch panel 151 of the operation panel 15 (S5).

[0062] FIG. 6 is an example of the screen information D2 output to the first touch panel 151 of the operation panel. The screen information D2 includes a vehicle X1 operation unit D2a for performing an operation of selecting vehicle X1 corresponding to the rental vehicle information X01, a vehicle X2 operation unit D2b for performing an operation of selecting vehicle X2 corresponding to the rental vehicle information X02, and a vehicle X3 operation unit D2c for performing an operation of selecting vehicle X3 corresponding to the rental vehicle information X03.

[0063] When the parking lot registrant U1 touches the vehicle X1 operation unit D2a to use the reserved rental target vehicle X1, the operation panel 15 transmits the operation information of the vehicle X1 operation unit D2a executed by the parking lot registrant U1 to the parking lot management device 20A.

[0064] The incoming and outgoing processing unit 221A of the parking lot management device 20A detects that the vehicle X1 has been selected based on the operation information transmitted from the operation panel 15 ("YES" in S6). The driving control unit 222 executes the outgoing processing of the vehicle X1 based on the information detected by the incoming and outgoing processing unit 221A (S7). Specifically, the driving control unit 222 controls the driving device 14 to move the pallet 13-1 carrying the vehicle X1 to the incoming and outgoing port 11 of the mechanical parking lot 100A based on the information stored in the storage information storage unit 212.

[0065] When the parking lot registrant U1 recognizes that the pallet 13-1 has moved to the incoming and outgoing port 11, the registrant U1 performs a door opening operation on the operation panel 15 using the information of the parking lot membership number UA01 to open the door of the incoming and outgoing port 11. After that, in order to perform the usage authentication process of the vehicle X1, the parking lot registrant U1 sends a usage authentication request for the vehicle X1 including the system membership number UB01 to the lending management device 40A from the user terminal 60A or the operation panel 15.

[0066] This usage authentication request is sent from the user terminal 60A to the lending management device 40A via the communication network 30, or is sent from the user terminal 60A to the lending management device 40A via the in-vehicle device Xa1 of the vehicle X1 and the communication network 30, or is sent from the operation panel 15 to the lending management device 40A via the communication network 30.

[0067] In the lending management device 40A, the authentication unit 433A acquires the obtained usage authentication request for the vehicle X1, and determines whether there is corresponding reservation information, that is, reservation information in which the date and time at the time of determination is included in the usage period for the parking lot registrant U1 with the system membership number UB01, based on the information stored in the reservation information storage unit 413. The authentication unit 433A may determine that there is corresponding reservation information if the date and time at the time of determination is within a predetermined first period, for example, within 10 minutes, up to the start time of the usage period included in the reservation information of the parking lot registrant U1.

[0068] When the authentication unit 433A determines that it is going to authenticate the use of the vehicle X1 by the parking lot registrant U1, it generates an authentication notice and transmits it to the vehicle X1 via the user terminal 60A which is the source of the use authentication request or the operation panel 15. The user terminal 60A and the in-vehicle device Xa1 of the vehicle X1, or the operation panel 15 and the in-vehicle device Xa1 of the vehicle X1 are connected by, for example, short-range wireless communication. Here, the lending management device 40A may directly wirelessly transmit the authentication notice to the in-vehicle device Xa1 of the vehicle X1. In the vehicle X1, when the authentication notice is acquired, the in-vehicle device Xa1 unlocks the vehicle key.

[0069] At this time, if the date and time at the time of determination is before the start time of the reserved use period for the parking lot registrant U1, the authentication unit 433A may cause the operation panel 15 to display information notifying that it is not available for lending because it is before the use period. Also, if the date and time at the time of determination is before the start time of the reserved use period for the parking lot registrant U1, but within a predetermined second period until this start time and the vehicle X1 is in a state where it can be used, the authentication unit 433A may authenticate the use of the vehicle X1 by causing the parking lot registrant U1 to execute the use authentication request operation again. This second period is a period longer than the above-described first period.

[0070] Also, at the time of use reservation, the reservation processing unit 432 generates information on an electronic key that can unlock the vehicle key of the vehicle X1 to be lent during the use period corresponding to this reservation information and transmits it to the user terminal 60A, so that the parking lot registrant U1 may use this electronic key information to unlock the vehicle key.

[0071] The parking lot registrant U1 gets into the unlocked vehicle X1, starts the engine of the vehicle X1, moves it outside the mechanical parking lot 100A, and performs a door closing operation on the operation panel 15 to make the door of the entrance / exit 11 in a closed state. After that, the parking lot registrant U1 starts driving the vehicle X1.

[0072] When the vehicle X1 moves outside the mechanical parking lot 100A and the entrance / exit 11 is detected to be closed, the entrance / exit processing unit 221A recognizes that the use of the vehicle X1 has started, associates the rental vehicle information X01 of the vehicle X1 with the parking lot member number UA01 of the parking lot registrant U1, and stores it in the rental information storage unit 213 as rental information. Also, the entrance / exit processing unit 221A deletes the information related to the vehicle X1 from the information stored in the storage information storage unit 212.

[0073] When the parking lot registrant U1 returns the vehicle X1, the vehicle X1 is parked near the mechanical parking lot 100A, and an input request operation is performed using the parking lot member number UA01 of the parking lot registrant U1 on the operation panel 15. The operation panel 15 adds the parking lot member number UA01 of the parking lot registrant U1 to the information of the storage request operation and transmits it to the parking lot management device 20A.

[0074] In the parking lot management device 20A, the entrance / exit processing unit 221A acquires the information of the storage request operation transmitted from the operation panel 15. When the entrance / exit processing unit 221A acquires the information of the storage request operation, based on the parking lot member number UA01 of the parking lot registrant U1 added to this information and the information stored in the rental information storage unit 213, it recognizes that a storage request operation for returning the vehicle X1 being rented is performed, and executes the storage process. Specifically, in order to store the vehicle X1, the entrance / exit processing unit 221A moves the pallet 13-1 of the type corresponding to the pallet type information MP of the vehicle X1 stored in the rental information storage unit 213 to the entrance / exit 11.

[0075] When the parking lot registrant U1 recognizes that the pallet 13-1 has moved to the entrance / exit 11, the parking lot registrant U1 performs a door opening operation on the operation panel 15 to open the door of the entrance / exit 11, then moves the vehicle X1 onto the pallet 13-1 at the entrance / exit 11 and stops the engine. After that, the parking lot registrant U1 executes the authentication process by the lending management device 40A using the system member number UB01, and locks the vehicle key of the vehicle X1 by the in-vehicle device Xa1 in the same way as when unlocking.

[0076] The parking lot registrant U1 goes outside the mechanical parking lot 100A and uses the operation panel 15 to perform a door closing operation using the information of the parking lot membership number UA01 to close the door of the entrance / exit 11.

[0077] When the vehicle entrance / exit processing unit 221A detects that the vehicle X1 has entered the mechanical parking lot 100A and the door of the entrance / exit 11 is in the closed state, it moves the pallet 13-1 to the predetermined storage space 12-1. In addition, the vehicle entrance / exit processing unit 221A deletes the lending information regarding the parking lot registrant U1 stored in the lending information storage unit 213, and adds information regarding the vehicle X1 in the storage information storage unit 212. Thereby, the return process of the lending target vehicle X1 to the mechanical parking lot 100A is completed.

[0078] In the above-described step S2, when information on an exit request operation by a non-parking lot registrant who has not registered for the use of the mechanical parking lot 100A is acquired, the process proceeds to step S5, and the vehicle entrance / exit processing unit 221A generates screen information D2 for selecting any one of the lending vehicle information X01, XA02, and XA03, which is the information of the lending target vehicle, and outputs it to the first touch panel 151 of the operation panel 15 (S5). By performing the process in this way, even a non-parking lot registrant can use the lending service of the lending target vehicle in the mechanical parking lot 100A if a use reservation has been made in advance with the lending management device 40A.

[0079] Also, in the above-described step S4, when the normal use operation unit D1b is operated by the parking lot registrant U1 and the vehicle entrance / exit processing unit 221A recognizes that normal use has been selected (''NO'' in S4), the vehicle exit process of the registered vehicle Y1 registered for the parking lot registrant U1 is executed (S8).

[0080] In the above-described embodiment, the functions of the parking lot information storage medium 50A may be provided in the user terminal 60A to integrate the parking lot information storage medium 50A and the user terminal 60A.

[0081] According to the above first embodiment, even when a parking lot management device that manages a mechanical parking lot storing vehicles available for rental is not communicably connected to a rental management device that performs processing related to the rental service of vehicles available for rental, it is possible to appropriately provide the rental service of vehicles available for rental to users.

[0082] 《Second Embodiment》 〈Configuration of Rental Management System According to Second Embodiment〉 Since the rental management system 1B according to the second embodiment has the same configuration as the rental management system 1A described in the first embodiment, detailed descriptions of parts having the same functions are omitted. The rental management system 1B according to the present embodiment provides a vehicle rental service using vehicles available for rental stored in the mechanical parking lot 100B.

[0083] In the present embodiment, the first registration information storage unit 211 in the first storage unit 21B of the parking lot management device 20B stores, as registration information for each contract concluded for using the mechanical parking lot 100B, a group number that is identification information of this registrant group in the parking lot management device 20B issued to a registrant group including a plurality of parking lot registrants who use a predetermined registered vehicle, a plurality of parking lot member numbers that are identification information for each parking lot registrant belonging to this registrant group, and palette type information MP of the palette 13 that is the usage target of this registrant group in association with each other.

[0084] Also, in this embodiment, when the in-out processing unit 221B performs the out-processing of the vehicle to be lent based on the operation of any one of a plurality of parking lot registrants belonging to a predetermined registrant group stored in the first registration information storage unit 211, until the vehicle to be lent is returned to the mechanical parking lot 100B, the in-out processing of the registered vehicle based on the operation of the parking lot registrant using the vehicle to be lent is made inexecutable. Further, when the out-processing of the vehicle to be lent is performed based on the operation of any one of a plurality of parking lot registrants belonging to the registration group, if a registered vehicle is out-processed and being used by the operation of another parking lot registrant within this registration group, the in-processing of the registered vehicle by the operation of the parking lot registrant who has performed the out-processing of the vehicle to be lent is made inexecutable, and also, the in-processing of the vehicle to be lent by the operation of a parking lot registrant within the registration group other than the parking lot registrant who has performed the out-processing of the vehicle to be lent is made inexecutable.

[0085] 〈Operation of the lending management system according to the second embodiment〉 As an operation example of the lending management system 1B according to this embodiment, the case of performing the usage management of the vehicle to be lent and the registered vehicle for one family constituting the registrant group will be described.

[0086] Here, in the first registration information storage unit 211 of the parking lot management device 20B, the group number G01 which is the identification information of the registrant group G1 using the lending service, the parking lot member number U02 of the parking lot registrant U2 belonging to this registrant group G1, the parking lot member number U03 of the parking lot registrant U3, and the parking lot member number U04 of the parking lot registrant U4, and the type information MP of the pallet 13 related to this registrant group G1 are stored in association with each other.

[0087] In addition, in the storage information storage unit 212, as vehicle information for each vehicle stored in the mechanical parking lot 100B, information linking the identification information X02 of the vehicle X2, which is the vehicle to be rented, and the identification information PL02 of the pallet 13-2 loaded with the vehicle X2, information linking the identification information X03 of the vehicle X3 and the identification information PL03 of the pallet 13-3 loaded with the vehicle X3, and information linking the identification information Y02 of the registered vehicle Y2 related to the group number G01 and the identification information PL05 of the pallet PL5 loaded with the registered vehicle Y2 are stored.

[0088] In addition, in the lending information storage unit 213, lending information linking the identification information X01 of the vehicle X1 currently on loan, the group number G01 of the registered user group G1 to which the parking lot registrant U4 borrowing this vehicle X1 belongs, and the parking lot member number U04, which is the identification information of the parking lot registrant U4, is stored.

[0089] With this information stored, when the parking lot registrant U4 uses the registered vehicle Y2, the parking lot member number UA04 of the parking lot registrant U2 is input on the operation panel 15 to perform a stock-out request operation. The operation panel 15 adds the parking lot member number UA04 of the parking lot registrant U4 to the information of the stock-out request operation and transmits it to the parking lot management device 20B.

[0090] FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the processing executed when the parking lot management device 20B acquires the information of the stock-out request operation from the operation panel 15. In FIG. 7, steps S11 to S13 are the same as the processing of steps S1 to S3 described in the first embodiment, so detailed description thereof is omitted.

[0091] In step S13, when the screen information D1 is output to the first touch panel 151 of the operation panel 15, the parking lot registrant U4 touches the normal use operation unit D1b in the output screen information D1 in order to use the registered vehicle Y2. The operation panel 15 transmits the operation information of the normal use operation unit D1b executed by the parking lot registrant U4 to the parking lot management device 20B.

[0092] The incoming and outgoing processing unit 221B of the parking lot management device 20B recognizes that normal use has been selected based on the operation information transmitted from the operation panel 15 ("NO" in S14). When the incoming and outgoing processing unit 221B recognizes that normal use has been selected, it determines whether the parking lot registrant U4 is using any of the rental target vehicles based on the information stored in the first registration information storage unit 211 and the rental information storage unit 213 (S18).

[0093] Here, the incoming and outgoing processing unit 221B determines that the parking lot registrant U4 is using the rental target vehicle X1 ("YES" in S18). In this case, the incoming and outgoing processing unit 221B determines that the registered vehicle Y2 registered for the registrant group G1 cannot be taken out of storage even if it is stored in the mechanical parking lot 100B, generates notification information indicating that it cannot be taken out of storage, and outputs it to the first touch panel 151 of the operation panel 15 (S19).

[0094] After that, when the parking lot registrant U4 returns the vehicle X1 to the mechanical parking lot 100B and then performs a take-out request operation and selects normal use again, the incoming and outgoing processing unit 221B determines that it can be taken out of storage and executes the take-out process (S20).

[0095] By performing the processing in this way, when the parking lot registrant performs the vehicle storage process, the vehicle can be stored using an appropriate pallet.

[0096] Here, if, while the parking lot registrant U4 within the registrant group G1 is using the rental target vehicle X1, this parking lot registrant U4 starts using the registered vehicle Y2 by taking it out of storage. And while the parking lot registrant U4 is using the registered vehicle Y2, if an incoming request operation is performed to store the rental target vehicle X1, there is a possibility that the incoming and outgoing processing unit 221B may misrecognize that the incoming storage of the registered vehicle Y2 belonging to the registrant group G1 to which the parking lot registrant U4 belongs has been requested.

[0097] If misrecognized in this way, the warehousing and shipping processing unit 221B will move the pallet of the type corresponding to the registered vehicle Y2 to the warehousing and shipping port 11 for the warehousing of the lent vehicle X1. At this time, if the vehicle sizes of the lent vehicle X1 and the registered vehicle Y2 are different and the types of pallets to be applied are different, it may not be possible to properly warehouse the lent vehicle X1.

[0098] Therefore, as described above, when a predetermined parking lot registrant performs an operation to request the release of a registered vehicle, if this parking lot registrant is using any of the lent vehicles, the release of the registered vehicle is made impossible, so that the lent vehicle can be warehoused using an appropriate pallet.

[0099] Here, among the same registrant group G1, other parking lot registrants U2 and U3 who are not using the lent vehicle can still perform the operation of releasing the registered vehicle Y2 even if the parking lot registrant U4 is using the lent vehicle. Also, the operation of returning the lent vehicle X1 that the parking lot registrant U4 is using, that is, the operation of warehousing it in the mechanical parking lot 100B, can be executed by any of the parking lot registrants U2, U3, and U4 within the registrant group G1.

[0100] Also, when the parking lot registrant U4 is using the lent vehicle X1, if a registrant other than the parking lot registrant U4 within the registrant group G1, for example, the parking lot registrant U2, releases and uses the registered vehicle Y2, the parking lot registrants U2 and U3, who are registrants other than the parking lot registrant U4, cannot execute the return operation of the lent vehicle X1 (the warehousing operation to the mechanical parking lot 100B). That is, only the parking lot registrant U4 can execute the return operation of the lent vehicle X1.

[0101] Also in this case, the parking lot registrants U2 and U3 can perform the return operation of the registered vehicle Y2. However, since the parking lot registrant U4 is using the vehicle X1 subject to lending, the return operation of the registered vehicle Y2 cannot be executed. When the parking lot registrant U4 returns the vehicle X1 subject to lending, this restriction is lifted, and the return operation of the registered vehicle Y2 by the parking lot registrant U4 also becomes possible. By performing the processing in this way, both the vehicle subject to lending and the registered vehicle can be stored in the appropriate pallet, and for example, when a high-roof vehicle is stored, it is possible to avoid the middle-roof compatible pallet responding and leading to damage to the facility.

[0102] 《Third Embodiment》 〈Configuration of the lending management system according to the third embodiment〉 FIG. 8 is an overall view showing the configuration of the lending management system 1C according to the third embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the lending management system 1C has the same configuration as the lending management system 1A described in the first embodiment, except that the parking lot management device 20C and the lending management device 40C are communicably connected via the communication network 30. Therefore, detailed descriptions of parts having the same functions are omitted. The lending management system 1C according to this embodiment provides a vehicle lending service using the vehicle subject to lending stored in the mechanical parking lot 100C.

[0103] FIG. 9 is a block diagram showing the detailed configuration of the parking lot management device 20C and the lending management device 40C in the lending management system 1C according to this embodiment. The lending management device 40C has the same configuration as the lending management device 40A described in the first embodiment, except that it has a transmission control unit 434C in the second CPU 43C. Therefore, detailed descriptions of parts having the same functions are omitted.

[0104] The transmission control unit 434C transmits the reservation information determined to be available for use reservation by the reservation processing unit 432 to the parking lot management device 20C via the second communication unit 42 and the communication network 30 as authentication information used for authentication of the use start request of the vehicle subject to lending.

[0105] The parking lot management device 20C has a first communication unit 23 that can be connected to the communication network 30, has an authentication information acquisition unit 223 in the first CPU 22C, and has an authentication information storage unit 214 in the first storage unit 21C. Otherwise, since it has the same configuration as the parking lot management device 20A described in the first embodiment, detailed descriptions of parts having the same functions are omitted.

[0106] The authentication information acquisition unit 223 acquires the authentication information transmitted from the lending management device 40C. The authentication information storage unit 214 stores the authentication information acquired by the authentication information acquisition unit 223.

[0107] When the incoming and outgoing processing unit 221C acquires a use start request for the vehicle to be lent, it determines whether to authenticate the use of the vehicle to be lent to the user based on the information stored in the authentication information storage unit 214. If it authenticates the use of the vehicle to be lent to this user, it decides to perform the outgoing processing of this vehicle to be lent.

[0108] <Operation of the lending management system according to the third embodiment> As an operation example of the lending management system 1C according to this embodiment, a case where a parking lot registrant U1 who has previously concluded a usage contract regarding the mechanical parking lot 100C uses the lending service of the vehicle to be lent stored in the mechanical parking lot 100C will be described.

[0109] The parking lot registrant U1 performs system registration processing regarding the lending management system 1C in the same manner as described in the first embodiment, so that the user terminal 60C stores the system member number UB01 of the parking lot registrant U1.

[0110] The parking lot registrant U1 uses this system member number UB01 to send a reservation request for using the vehicle X1 to be lent from the user terminal 60C to the lending management device 40C. This reservation request includes the system member number UB01 of this parking lot registrant U1, the lending vehicle information X01 of the vehicle X1 that the borrower hopes to receive, and the usage period.

[0111] In the lending management device 40C, the reservation processing unit 432 determines whether a usage reservation for a reservation request transmitted from the parking lot registrant U1 is possible based on the information stored in the second storage unit 41. When the reservation processing unit 432 determines that a usage reservation for the acquired request is possible, it stores reservation information regarding this usage reservation in the reservation information storage unit 413 and transmits a reservation completion notice notifying that the reservation has been completed to the user terminal 60C.

[0112] The transmission control unit 434C transmits the reservation information determined to be usable for reservation by the reservation processing unit 432 to the parking lot management device 20C via the second communication unit 42 and the communication network 30 as authentication information for authenticating a usage start request for the lending target vehicle.

[0113] In the parking lot management device 20C, the authentication information acquisition unit 223 acquires the authentication information transmitted from the lending management device 40C and stores it in the authentication information storage unit 214.

[0114] When the usage start date and time of the reserved lending target vehicle X1 arrives, the parking lot registrant U1 inputs the system member number UB01 of the lending management system 1C on the operation panel 15 to perform a lending usage start request operation. The operation panel 15 adds the system member number UB01 of the parking lot registrant U1 to the information of the lending usage start request operation and transmits it to the parking lot management device 20C.

[0115] FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing the process executed when the parking lot management device 20C acquires the information of the lending usage start request operation from the operation panel 15.

[0116] When the warehousing and shipping processing unit 221C of the parking lot management device 20C acquires information on a lending start request operation from the operation panel 15 (the answer to S21 is "YES"), based on the information stored in the authentication information storage unit 214, it determines whether there is corresponding authentication information, that is, whether there is authentication information based on reservation information in which the date and time at the time of determination is included in the usage period for the parking lot registrant U1 (S22). If the date and time at the time of determination is within a predetermined first period, for example, within 10 minutes, up to the start time of the usage period included in the reservation information of the parking lot registrant U1, the warehousing and shipping processing unit 221C may determine that there is corresponding authentication information.

[0117] When the warehousing and shipping processing unit 221C determines that there is corresponding reservation information (the answer to S22 is "YES"), the driving control unit 222 executes the shipping process for the vehicle X1, which is the vehicle reserved based on this reservation information (S23). Specifically, the driving control unit 222 controls the driving device 14 to move the pallet 13-1 carrying the vehicle X1 to the warehousing and shipping port 11 of the mechanical parking lot 100C.

[0118] Thereafter, since the vehicle use authentication process executed to unlock the vehicle key based on the operation of the parking lot registrant U1 is the same as the process described in the first embodiment, a detailed description is omitted. When performing the vehicle use authentication process for the vehicle X1, the warehousing and shipping processing unit 221C associates the lent vehicle information X01 of the vehicle X1 with the system member number UB01 of the parking lot registrant U1 and stores it in the lending information storage unit 213 as lending information.

[0119] In step S22, when the warehousing and shipping processing unit 221C determines that there is no corresponding reservation information (the answer to S22 is "NO"), it determines whether there is reservation information in which the usage period starts within a predetermined time for this parking lot registrant U1 (S24). In this determination, for example, if the current time is after the second period before the start time of the usage period included in the reservation information of the parking lot registrant U1, for example, after 2 hours, it is determined that there is reservation information in which the usage period starts within a predetermined time. This second period is a period longer than the above-described first period.

[0120] When the incoming / outgoing processing unit 221C determines that there is reservation information indicating that the usage period will start within a predetermined time for the parking lot registrant U1 (\"YES\" in S24), if the vehicle X1 corresponding to this reservation information is stored in the mechanical parking lot 100C and is available for use, it generates screen information D3 for selecting whether to start using immediately and outputs it to the first touch panel 151 of the operation panel 15 (S25).

[0121] FIG. 11 is an example of the screen information D3 output to the first touch panel 151 of the operation panel 15. The screen information D3 includes text information D3a containing information on the lending start time, which is the start time of the usage period included in the reservation information of the parking lot registrant U1, and information prompting a button operation for immediately starting use, a usage button D3b for performing an operation to select \"use immediately\", and a cancel button D3c for erasing the display of this screen.

[0122] When the parking lot registrant U1 touches and operates the usage button D3b to immediately start using (\"YES\" in S26), the operation panel 15 transmits the operation information of the usage button D3b executed by the parking lot registrant U1 to the parking lot management device 20C.

[0123] In the parking lot management device 20C, the incoming / outgoing processing unit 221C transmits a usage start request including the lending vehicle information X01 of the vehicle X1 to the lending management device 40C in order to inquire whether the vehicle X1 reserved by the parking lot registrant U1 can be immediately started for use (S27).

[0124] In the lending management device 40C, the authentication unit 433C acquires the usage start request of the vehicle X1 transmitted from the parking lot management device 20C and determines whether the vehicle X1 of the lending vehicle information X01 can be immediately started for use based on the information stored in the reservation information storage unit 413.

[0125] When the authentication unit 433C determines that the vehicle X1 can be immediately used, it generates an available notification and sends it to the parking lot management device 20C. When the parking lot management device 20C acquires the available notification ( "YES" in S28), it displays information notifying that the use of the vehicle X1 is possible on the first touch panel 151 of the operation panel 15 and executes the vehicle X1 departure process (S23).

[0126] When it is determined in step S24 that there is no reservation information for the parking lot registrant U1 indicating that the usage period starts within a predetermined time ( "NO" in S24), the process proceeds to step S26, where screen information D3 is generated and output to the first touch panel 151 of the operation panel 15 (S25).

[0127] Here, when the parking lot registrant U1 touches and operates the use button D3b to immediately start using ( "YES" in S26), the operation panel 15 sends the operation information of the use button D3b executed by the parking lot registrant U1 to the parking lot management device 20C.

[0128] In the parking lot management device 20C, the entrance / exit processing unit 221C sends a use start request including the rental vehicle information X01 of the vehicle X1 to the rental management device 40C in order to inquire whether the vehicle X1 that the parking lot registrant U1 wishes to use can be immediately used (S27).

[0129] In the rental management device 40C, the authentication unit 433C acquires the use start request of the vehicle X1 sent from the parking lot management device 20C and determines whether the vehicle X1 of the rental vehicle information X01 can be immediately used based on the information stored in the reservation information storage unit 413.

[0130] When the authentication unit 433C determines that the vehicle X1 can be immediately used, it generates an available notification and sends it to the parking lot management device 20C. When the parking lot management device 20C acquires the available notification ( "YES" in S28), it displays information notifying that the use of the vehicle X1 is possible on the first touch panel 151 of the operation panel 15 and executes the vehicle X1 departure process (S23).

[0131] When the cancel button D3c is operated in step S26 (\"NO\" in S26), or when it is notified in step S28 that the start of use of the vehicle X1 is not possible (\"NO\" in S28), the process ends.

[0132] In the present embodiment, since the vehicle for rental stored in the mechanical parking lot 100C is only subjected to the out-of-storage process for the user for whom the use is reserved, the vehicle key of the vehicle for rental may be kept in the unlocked state within the mechanical parking lot 100C.

[0133] When returning the vehicle X1, the parking lot registrant U1 parks the vehicle X1 near the mechanical parking lot 100C and performs an input request operation by inputting the system member number UB01 of the parking lot registrant U1 on the operation panel 15. The operation panel 15 adds the system member number UB01 of the parking lot registrant U1 to the information of the warehousing request operation and transmits it to the parking lot management device 20C.

[0134] In the parking lot management device 20C, the warehousing / outbound processing unit 221C acquires the information of the warehousing request operation transmitted from the operation panel 15. When the warehousing / outbound processing unit 221C acquires the information of the warehousing request operation, based on the system member number UB01 of the parking lot registrant U1 added to this information and the information stored in the lending information storage unit 213, it recognizes that a warehousing request operation for returning the vehicle X1 on loan has been performed and executes the warehousing process.

[0135] According to the above-described third embodiment, by communicably connecting a parking lot management device that manages a mechanical parking lot storing vehicles for rental and a lending management device that performs processing related to the lending service of vehicles for rental, it is possible to efficiently provide the lending service of vehicles for rental to users. When using the reserved vehicle for rental, the user can simply execute the process using only the system member number in the lending management system without using the parking lot member number in the parking lot management device.

[0136] <<Fourth Embodiment>> Configuration of the lending management system according to the fourth embodiment 12 is an overall diagram showing the configuration of a rental management system 1D according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the rental management system 1D is equipped with an input / output device 70, and the parking lot management device 20D and the rental management device 40D transmit and receive information via the input / output device 70. Other than this, the rental management system 1D has the same configuration as the rental management system 1C described in the third embodiment, so detailed descriptions of parts having the same functions will be omitted. The rental management system 1D according to this embodiment provides a vehicle rental service using rental vehicles stored in a mechanical parking lot 100D.

[0137] FIG. 13 is a block diagram showing detailed configurations of a parking lot management device 20D, a rental management device 40D, and an input / output device 70 in a rental management system 1D according to this embodiment.

[0138] In this embodiment, when the authentication unit 433D of the rental management device 40D acquires a rental use start request for a rental vehicle from the input / output device 70, the authentication unit 433D determines whether or not to authenticate the request based on the information stored in the reservation information storage unit 413. When the rental use start request is authenticated by the authentication unit 433D, the transmission control unit 434D transmits an authentication notification to the input / output device 70.

[0139] The input / output device 70 is installed in a place where the user can move to the mechanical parking lot 100D within a predetermined time and can easily operate it, such as the lobby of an apartment building where the mechanical parking lot 100D is installed. The input / output device 70 has a second touch panel 71 that inputs user operation information and outputs information transmitted from the rental management device 40D.

[0140] The input / output device 70 transmits operation information of the user's request to start rental use to the rental management device 40D, and when it receives an authentication notification from the rental management device 40D based on this, it generates the user's system membership information and information on the vehicle to be rented as authentication information, adds an exit instruction for the vehicle to be rented, and transmits this to the parking lot management device 20D.

[0141] The authentication information acquisition unit 223 of the parking lot management device 20D sends the authentication information and the departure instruction acquired from the input / output device 70 to the entry / exit processing unit 221D, and stores the authentication information in the authentication information storage unit 214. The entry / exit processing unit 221D executes the departure process of the rental vehicle indicated by the authentication information.

[0142] <Operation of the lending management system according to the fourth embodiment> As an example of the operation of the rental management system 1D according to this embodiment, we will explain the case where a parking lot registrant U1 who has previously concluded a usage contract for the mechanical parking lot 100D uses the rental service of a rental vehicle stored in the mechanical parking lot 100D.

[0143] The parking lot registrant U1 performs the system registration process for the rental management system 1D in the same manner as described in the first embodiment, so that the user terminal 60D stores the system member number UB01 of the parking lot registrant U1.

[0144] The parking lot registrant U1 uses the system member number UB01 to transmit a reservation request for using the rental vehicle X1 from the user terminal 60D to the rental management device 40D. This reservation request includes the system member number UB01 of the parking lot registrant U1, rental vehicle information X01 of the vehicle X1 that the user wishes to rent, and the usage period.

[0145] In the rental management device 40D, the reservation processing unit 432 determines whether or not a reservation for use is possible for the reservation request transmitted from the parking lot registrant U1, based on the information stored in the second storage unit 41. When the reservation processing unit 432 determines that a reservation for use is possible for the acquired request, it stores the reservation information for this reservation in the reservation information storage unit 413, and transmits a reservation completion notification to this user terminal 60D notifying that the reservation has been completed.

[0146] When the usage start date and time of the reserved rental vehicle X1 arrives, the parking lot registrant U1 inputs the system member number UB01 of the rental management system 1D and the identification information X01 of the rental vehicle X1 from the second touch panel 71 of the input / output device 70 to perform a rental usage start request operation. The input / output device 70 adds the system member number UB01 of the parking lot registrant U1 and the identification information X01 of the vehicle X1 to the information of the rental usage start request operation and transmits it to the rental management device 40D.

[0147] Figure 14 is a flowchart showing the processing executed when the rental management device 40D acquires the information of the rental usage start request operation from the input / output device 70.

[0148] When the authentication unit 433D of the rental management device 40D acquires the information of the rental usage start request operation from the input / output device 70 (''YES'' in S41), it determines whether there is corresponding reservation information, that is, whether there is reservation information in which the current time is included in the usage period for the parking lot registrant U1, based on the information stored in the reservation information storage unit 413 (S42). The authentication unit 433D may determine that there is corresponding reservation information if the current time is after the first period before the start time of the usage period included in the reservation information of the parking lot registrant U1, for example, 10 minutes or more later, considering the distance from the input / output device 70 to the mechanical parking lot 100D.

[0149] When the authentication unit 433D determines that there is corresponding reservation information and authenticates this rental usage start request (''YES'' in S42), the transmission control unit 434D transmits an authentication notice for this request to the input / output device 70 (S43).

[0150] The input / output device 70 generates the system member information corresponding to this rental usage start request and the vehicle information of the rental target as authentication information, adds an outbound instruction regarding this rental target vehicle, and transmits it to the parking lot management device 20D.

[0151] In the parking lot management device 20D, the authentication information acquisition unit 223 acquires authentication information and a departure instruction, sends them to the entry / exit processing unit 221D, and stores the authentication information in the authentication information storage unit 214. The entry / exit processing unit 221D executes the departure process for the vehicle X1 which is the vehicle to be rented indicated by the authentication information. Specifically, the driving control unit 222 controls the driving device 14 to move the pallet 13-1 carrying the vehicle X1 to the entry / exit port 11 of the mechanical parking lot 100D.

[0152] When the parking lot registrant U1 recognizes that the pallet 13-1 has moved to the entry / exit port 11, the parking lot registrant U1 performs a door opening operation to open the door of the entry / exit port 11. Here, if it is possible to visually recognize the entry / exit port 11 from the parking lot registrant U1 in front of the input / output device 70, the parking lot registrant U1 performs a door opening operation using the input / output device 70. The information on the door opening operation performed by the input / output device 70 is transmitted to the parking lot management device 20D, and the entry / exit processing unit 221D opens the door of the entry / exit port 11 based on this information.

[0153] Also, if it is impossible to visually recognize the entry / exit port 11 from the parking lot registrant U1 in front of the input / output device 70, the parking lot registrant U1 moves to the entry / exit port 11 and performs a door opening operation using the operation panel 15. In this case, the parking lot registrant U1 inputs the system member number UB01 into the operation panel 15 to perform a door opening operation. Thereby, the entry / exit processing unit 221D recognizes that the door opening operation has been performed by the parking lot registrant U1 who is the user of this vehicle X1 using the information stored in the authentication information storage unit 214, and opens the door of the entry / exit port 11.

[0154] Thereafter, the usage authentication process of the vehicle X1 and the processes related to the start of use and return executed based on the operations of the parking lot registrant U1 are the same as the processes described in the first embodiment, so detailed descriptions are omitted.

[0155] In step S42, when the authentication unit 433D determines that there is no reservation information corresponding to the acquired lending use start request (''NO'' in S42), it determines whether there is reservation information for which the use period starts within a predetermined time for this parking lot registrant U1 (S44).

[0156] When the authentication unit 433D determines that there is reservation information indicating that the usage period will start within a predetermined time for the parking lot registrant U1 (\"YES\" in S44), it generates the screen information D3 described in the third embodiment and causes it to be displayed on the second touch panel 71 of the input / output device 70 (S45).

[0157] When the parking lot registrant U1 touches and operates the usage button D3b to immediately start usage, the input / output device 70 transmits the operation information of the usage button D3b executed by the parking lot registrant U1 to the lending management device 40D.

[0158] In the lending management device 40D, the authentication unit 433D acquires the vehicle usage start request transmitted from the input / output device 70 (\"YES\" in S46), and determines whether the vehicle X1 of the lent vehicle information X01 can be immediately started for use based on the information stored in the reservation information storage unit 413.

[0159] When the authentication unit 433D determines that the vehicle X1 can be immediately started for use (\"YES\" in S47), it generates an authentication notification and transmits it to the input / output device 70 (S43). Thereafter, the processing executed by the input / output device 70 and the parking lot management device 20D is the same as the processing described above in the case where there is reservation information corresponding to the lending usage start request, and thus detailed description is omitted.

[0160] Also, when it is determined in step S44 that there is no reservation information indicating that the usage period will start within a predetermined time for the parking lot registrant U1 (\"NO\" in S44), the process proceeds to step S46. Similar to the case described in the third embodiment, if the vehicle X1 that the parking lot registrant U1 wishes to use can be immediately started for use, an authentication notification for this request is transmitted to the input / output device 70.

[0161] In step S45, when the usage button D3b is not operated on the displayed screen information (\"NO\" in S45), or in step S46, when the authentication unit 433D determines that the vehicle X1 cannot be immediately used (\"NO\" in S46), the process ends.

[0162] In this embodiment, a key management device (not shown) for storing the keys of the vehicles to be rented in the mechanical parking lot 100D may be installed by connecting it to the input / output device 70. In this case, when the input / output device 70 receives an authentication notification for a rental start request, the key of the target vehicle in this key management device is set to a lendable state. The user takes out the key from the key management device in the lendable state and uses it for using the vehicle to be rented.

[0163] According to the above-described fourth embodiment, it is possible to easily use the rental service of the vehicle to be rented by using the input / output device installed in a place where the user can easily operate.

[0164] In the rental management systems of the above-described third and fourth embodiments, the parking lot management device and the rental management device are configured to be communicable. Utilizing this, when the vehicle to be rented is returned to the mechanical parking lot, vehicle information such as the mileage during the rental may be transmitted from the in-vehicle device of the vehicle to be rented to the rental management device via the parking lot management device. By performing the processing in this way, even when the vehicle to be rented is stored in the mechanical parking lot and becomes in a state where it cannot communicate with an external communication network, the rental management device can acquire the vehicle information and appropriately perform billing processing and the like related to the rental.

[0165] Also, in the above-described first to fourth embodiments, the case where the storage facility management device is the parking lot management device, the storage facility to be managed is the mechanical parking lot, and the stored item is a vehicle has been described, but it is not limited thereto. The item stored in the parking lot may be a kick scooter or a bicycle. Also, the storage facility may be a parking facility for drones or robots, the stored item may be a drone or a robot equipped with a battery, and the storage facility management device may be a management device that manages these. Other items that the storage facility can store may be any items that can be stored in the storage facility, for example, electronic devices such as portable power supply devices, or containers and storage boxes.

[0166] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, it is possible to modify or deform the embodiments based on the above disclosure. All the components of the above embodiments and all the features described in the claims may be individually extracted and combined as long as they do not conflict with each other.

Explanation of Signs

[0167] 1A, 1B, 1C, 1D Lending Management System 11 Loading / Unloading Port 12-1 to 12-8 Storage Spaces 13-1 to 13-8 Pallets 14 Driving Device 15 Control Panel 20A, 20B, 20C, 20D Parking Lot Management Device 21A, 21B, 21C, 21D First Storage Unit 22A, 22B, 22C, 22D First CPU 23 First Communication Unit 30 Communication Network 40A, 40B, 40C, 40D Lending Management Device 41 Second Storage Unit 42 Second Communication Unit 43A, 43B, 43C, 43D Second CPU 50A, 50B, 50C, 50D Parking Lot Information Storage Medium 60A, 60B, 60C, 60D User Terminal 70 Input / Output Device 71 Second Touch Panel 100A, 100B, 100C, 100D Mechanical Parking Lot 151 First Touch Panel 211 First Registration Information Storage Unit 212 Storage Information Storage Unit 213 Lending Information Storage Unit 214 Authentication Information Storage Unit 221A, 221B, 221C, 221D Loading / Unloading Processing Unit 222 Driving Control Unit 223 Authentication Information Acquisition Unit 411 Lending Vehicle Information Storage Unit 412 Second Registration Information Storage Unit 413 Reservation Information Storage Unit 431 Usage Registration Unit 432 Reservation Processing Unit 433A, 433B, 433C, 433D Authentication Unit 434C, 434D Transmission Control Unit

Claims

1. An article storage management device that manages the mechanical article storage, a lending management device that manages the lending of lendable articles stored in the mechanical article storage, and a key controller that controls a key for switching the availability status of the lendable articles, wherein the lending management device, a reservation information storage unit that stores reservation information for using the lendable articles, including identification information of users of the lendable articles, and an authentication unit that authenticates the use of the lendable articles by the user based on the reservation information stored in the reservation information storage unit when an authentication request for using the lendable articles, including the identification information of the user, is obtained, wherein the key controller, has a switching control unit that locks the key when the lendable article is stored in the mechanical article storage and switches to unlocking the key when the use of the lendable article by the user is authenticated by the authentication unit, wherein the article storage management device, is a lending management system having an incoming / outgoing processing unit that performs an outgoing processing of an article corresponding to an outgoing request operation when an outgoing request operation of an article stored in the mechanical article storage is performed by a user of the mechanical article storage.

2. The article storage management device, further has a registration information storage unit that associates and stores identification information of a storage registrant registered in advance as a user of the mechanical article storage and information of a transporter that loads articles stored in the mechanical article storage by the storage registrant and transports them within the mechanical article storage, wherein the incoming / outgoing processing unit generates screen information for selecting whether to perform a lending use of the lendable articles or a normal use of registered articles loaded on a transporter associated with the identification information of the storage registrant and outputs the screen information to a predetermined display device when the outgoing request operation is performed by the storage registrant, and performs an outgoing processing of the lendable articles when the lending use is selected by the user in response to the output of the screen information, and performs an outgoing processing of the registered articles when the normal use is selected. The lending management system according to Claim 1.

3. The registration information storage unit stores identification information of a plurality of storage registrants who use the registered articles in association with the information of the transporter. When the warehousing and shipping processing unit performs the shipping processing of the lendable item based on the operation of any of the plurality of storage warehouse registrants, until the lendable item is returned to the mechanical item storage warehouse, the shipping processing of the registered item based on the operation of this storage warehouse registrant is made inexecutable. When the shipping processing of the lendable item is performed based on the operation of any of the plurality of storage warehouse registrants, if the registered item is shipped and used by the operation of another storage warehouse registrant, the warehousing processing of the registered item by the operation of the storage warehouse registrant who performed the shipping processing of this lendable item is made inexecutable, and the warehousing processing of the lendable item by the operation of a storage warehouse registrant other than the storage warehouse registrant who performed the shipping processing of this lendable item is made inexecutable. The lending management system according to claim 2.

4. An article storage warehouse management device for managing a mechanical article storage warehouse, and a lending management device communicably connected to the article storage warehouse management device and managing a lendable article stored in the mechanical article storage warehouse. The lending management device A reservation processing unit that acquires reservation information for using the lendable item, including identification information of the user of the lendable item. A transmission control unit that transmits the reservation information acquired by the reservation processing unit to the article storage warehouse management device as authentication information used for authentication of a lending use start request for the lendable item. The article storage warehouse management device An authentication information storage unit that stores the authentication information transmitted from the lending management device. When acquiring a lending use start request for the lendable item, based on the information stored in the authentication information storage unit, it determines whether to authenticate the use of the lendable item for the user, and when authenticating the use of the lendable item for the user, it has a shipping processing unit that performs the shipping processing of the lendable item. A lending management system.

5. An article storage warehouse management device for managing a mechanical article storage warehouse, a lending management device for managing a lendable article stored in the mechanical article storage warehouse, and an input / output device communicably connected to the article storage warehouse management device and the lending management device. The lending management device A reservation information storage unit that stores reservation information for using the lendable item, including identification information of the user of the lendable item. When a lending start request for the item to be lent, which includes the identification information of the user, is acquired from the input / output device, an authentication unit determines whether to authenticate the lending start request based on the reservation information stored in the reservation information storage unit. When the authentication unit determines to authenticate the lending start request, a transmission control unit transmits an authentication notice for this request to the input / output device. The input / output device transmits a lending start request input by the operation of the user to the lending management device, and when it acquires the authentication notice from the lending management device in response to transmitting the lending start request, it has a transmission control unit that transmits an out-of-storage instruction for the item to be lent to the item storage warehouse management device. The item storage warehouse management device When it acquires the out-of-storage instruction transmitted from the input / output device, it has an out-of-storage processing unit that performs an out-of-storage process for the item to be lent. A lending management system.

6. The item stored in the mechanical item storage warehouse is a vehicle, a drone, a robot, a portable power supply device, a container, or a storage box. The lending management system according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

7. When the item to be lent is stored in the mechanical item storage warehouse, the key controller locks the key that switches the availability status of the item to be lent. A lending management device that is communicably connected to the key controller and manages the lending of the item to be lent, when it acquires a use authentication request for the item to be lent, which includes the identification information of the user of the item to be lent, based on the reservation information stored in advance for using the item to be lent, determines whether to authenticate the use of the item to be lent to the user, and when it authenticates the use of the item to be lent to the user, the key controller unlocks the key. A lending management method.

8. A lending management device that manages the item to be lent stored in the mechanical item storage warehouse, when it acquires reservation information for using the item to be lent, which includes the identification information of the user of the item to be lent, transmits the reservation information as authentication information used for authenticating a lending start request for the item to be lent to an item storage warehouse management device that manages the mechanical item storage warehouse. When the article storage management device stores the authentication information transmitted from the lending management device and acquires a request for starting the use of the lendable article, it determines whether to authenticate the use of the lendable article by the user based on the stored information. When the use of the lendable article by the user is authenticated, a lending management method for performing the shipping process of the lendable article is executed.

9. A lending management device that manages lendable articles stored in a mechanical article storage stores reservation information for using the lendable articles, including identification information of the users of the lendable articles. When the lending management device acquires a lending use start request for the lendable articles, including the identification information of the user, from an input / output device communicably connected to the lending management device, it authenticates the lending use start request based on the stored reservation information and transmits an authentication notice to the input / output device. When the input / output device acquires the authentication notice, it transmits a shipping instruction for the lendable articles to an article storage management device that manages the mechanical article storage. When the article storage management device acquires the shipping instruction transmitted from the input / output device, it performs a shipping process for the lendable articles.

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