Relocation support system

Abstract

To provide a relocation support system for supporting the transfer of articles in order to reduce the workload involved in connecting articles that have become unnecessary for companies to recipients who will receive the articles.SOLUTION: A relocation support system 1 of the present invention is a relocation support system for supporting the transfer of articles. The relocation support system 1 includes an artificial intelligence unit 53 configured to propose articles to be transferred to recipients, and a request information reception unit configured to accept, in a free format, request information regarding desired articles to be received from the recipients. The artificial intelligence unit 53 extracts articles that meet requests of the recipients on the basis of the request information, and proposes the extracted articles to the recipients as transfer candidate articles. In extracting the transfer candidate articles, the artificial intelligence unit 53 selects, as extraction candidates, articles whose transfer timing has come, on the basis of article information including the transferable timing of the articles.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a relocation support system that supports the relocation of goods. [Background technology]

[0002] Food products sold on online shops are required to look similar to the photos on the sales page, and their size must also meet certain standards, such as the size shown on the sales page, such as medium size. Therefore, even if a food product has no problems with taste or nutrition, if it is misshapen or its size is outside the standard range and is too big or too small, it will be discarded, resulting in food waste.

[0003] Therefore, in order to reduce such food waste, Patent Document 1 discloses an online shopping system that includes a purchase acceptance unit that accepts from consumers the selection of food items they wish to purchase, a donation acceptance unit that accepts donation amounts from consumers, a cumulative amount calculation unit that calculates the cumulative amount of the accepted donation amounts, and a notification processing unit that notifies the food seller that the cumulative amount has exceeded the shipping cost when the cumulative amount exceeds the shipping cost for sending the specified food from the seller of the selected food to the specified donation destination. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2022-162732 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] Incidentally, there is also the problem of food waste when it comes to disaster preparedness supplies stockpiled by companies. In addition, some disaster preparedness supplies, such as blankets, do not have expiration dates or best-before dates, and even though they are still usable, they will be discarded when replaced with new ones.

[0006] In order to eliminate waste, including food waste, it is necessary to match companies with the right partners.

[0007] However, not only are there a limited number of stockpiled items to be disposed of, but there is also a limited variety, so it is not always possible to provide exactly what the recipient wants. In such a situation, it is necessary to propose something that is as close as possible to what the recipient wants.

[0008] Furthermore, if it were possible to successfully connect items no longer needed by companies and other organizations with recipients (recipients) who would accept those items, it would be possible to reduce waste. However, this matching process requires a great deal of effort because it is performed under the constraint that it is not always possible to provide the exact items that the recipients want, and so the challenge is how to reduce this effort.

[0009] In addition to reducing the amount of work required, there is also the issue of not being able to evaluate whether the matching results in the items being delivered to those who truly need them.

[0010] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and one of its objectives is to provide a relocation support system that supports the relocation of goods in order to reduce the workload of connecting goods that are no longer needed by companies, etc. with recipients who will receive the goods. Another objective is to provide a relocation support system that can deliver goods to places where they are truly needed. [Means for solving the problem]

[0011] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention is realized by the following configuration. (1) The relocation assistance system of the present invention is a relocation assistance system that assists in the relocation of goods, and the relocation assistance system comprises an artificial intelligence unit that proposes goods to be relocated to a recipient, and a desired information receiving unit that can receive desired information on the goods that the recipient wishes to receive in free format, the artificial intelligence unit extracts goods that meet the desires of the recipient based on the desired information and proposes the extracted goods to the recipient as goods to be relocated, and when extracting the goods to be relocated, the artificial intelligence unit selects goods that are within the relocation period as candidates for extraction based on the goods information of the goods, including the period when they can be relocated.

[0012] (2) In the configuration of (1) above, the item includes a food product, and if the item is a food product, the item information includes a best-before date or expiration date. If the artificial intelligence unit predicts from the desired information that the item desired by the recipient is the food product, the artificial intelligence unit does not include, as items to be extracted, food products whose best-before date or expiration date has passed at the desired receipt time extracted from the desired information.

[0013] (3) In the configuration of (1) above, if the desired information is insufficient to make it difficult to extract the item that meets the recipient's desire or the desired time of receipt, the artificial intelligence unit further prompts the recipient to input additional information into the desired information receiving unit.

[0014] (4) In any of the configurations (1) to (3) above, the item information includes identification information assigned to the item for identification purposes, the relocation support system includes a code issuing unit that issues a code directing the recipient to a receipt confirmation site, the company uses the identification information to have the code issuing unit issue a code directing the recipient to the receipt confirmation site, and the recipient uses the code to access the receipt confirmation site and perform the receipt confirmation process.

[0015] (5) In the configuration of (4) above, the recipient is a person who receives the item as a donation, and the relocation support system includes a certificate issuing unit that issues a donation receipt certificate to the company that owned the item after the recipient receives the item.

[0016] (6) In any of the configurations (1) to (3) above, the item information includes the storage location of the item, and the artificial intelligence unit determines the transferable item to be proposed to the recipient by taking into account at least one of the distance from the storage location of the item to the recipient's receiving location, the means of transportation, the route, and the time.

[0017] (7) In any of the configurations (1) to (3) above, the items include items other than food, and the item information, if the item is other than food, includes a replacement deadline, a planned disposal date, or a service deadline, and when the artificial intelligence unit predicts from the desired information that the item desired by the recipient is other than food, the artificial intelligence unit does not include, as items to be extracted, items other than food whose replacement deadline, planned disposal date, or service deadline has expired at the desired receipt time extracted from the desired information.

[0018] (8) In any of the configurations (1) to (3) above, the relocation support system includes a performance data recording unit that records past performance data, and the artificial intelligence unit determines the relocatable items to be proposed to the recipient, taking into account the past performance data.

[0019] (9) In the configuration of (8) above, the relocation assistance system includes a satisfaction level recording unit that registers the satisfaction level of the recipient with the item received, and when there are multiple recipient candidates who propose the same item as the relocation candidate, the artificial intelligence unit takes into consideration the registered satisfaction levels and determines to which of the recipients to propose the item as the relocation candidate.

[0020] (10) In the configuration of (8) above, when the desired information receiving unit receives the standardized desired information, the item that conforms to the standardized content is proposed to the recipient as a transfer candidate. [Effects of the Invention]

[0021] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a relocation support system that supports the relocation of goods in order to reduce the workload of connecting goods no longer needed by companies, etc. with recipients who will receive the goods. It is also possible to provide a relocation support system that can deliver goods to places where they are truly needed. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0022] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram for explaining a relocation support system according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a cloud server according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an article information storage unit of the first embodiment according to the present invention. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a performance data recording unit of the first embodiment according to the present invention. [Figure 5] FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a satisfaction level recording unit of the first embodiment according to the present invention. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a receipt confirmation screen for confirming receipt after capturing an image of a 2D barcode, which is displayed when the dedicated application of the first embodiment of the present invention is launched and the 2D barcode is captured with a camera having a reading function. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining a flow up to the transfer of an article in the first embodiment according to the present invention. [Figure 8] FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining a relocation support system according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a cloud server according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 10]FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a cloud server 5 according to a third embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0023] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, a mode for carrying out the present invention (hereinafter referred to as an "embodiment") will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that the same elements are denoted by the same numbers or symbols throughout the description of the embodiments.

[0024] First Embodiment In the first embodiment of the present invention, the items owned by a company are disaster preparedness supplies, particularly food, and the recipients are those who receive the items as donations, such as food banks, children's cafeterias, waste food recycling companies, various sports organizations, educational facilities such as schools, and social welfare facilities such as daycare centers.

[0025] FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining a relocation support system 1 according to a first embodiment of the present invention. As shown in Figure 1, the relocation support system 1 includes an operator terminal 2, multiple company terminals 3, multiple recipient terminals 4, and a cloud server 5, and the operator terminal 2, company terminals 3, and recipient terminals 4 are connected to the cloud server 5 via a network N so as to be accessible thereto.

[0026] [Administrator Terminal 2] The operator terminal 2 is a terminal used by the parties involved in the operation of the relocation support system 1 (hereinafter also referred to as the "operational parties"), and has a hardware configuration similar to that of a general personal computer.

[0027] Specifically, it comprises a CPU (Central Processing Unit), RAM (volatile memory), ROM (non-volatile memory), input devices such as a mouse and keyboard, and output devices such as a monitor.

[0028] The ROM is a non-volatile memory that stores applications (programs) and the like required for operation on the relocation support system 1.

[0029] RAM is a volatile memory for temporarily storing data, etc., and for example, the CPU expands a program stored in the ROM, and the CPU operates in accordance with that program, thereby controlling the operation of the operator terminal 2 on the relocation support system 1. The RAM also temporarily stores the results of calculations performed by the CPU during processing.

[0030] The operator terminal 2 may be a laptop PC, tablet, smartphone, or the like, as long as it is capable of performing the same processing as a personal computer.

[0031] For example, the management personnel perform tasks such as introducing disaster preparedness supplies (hereinafter also referred to as goods) to companies registered in the relocation support system 1, and arranging for purchase and delivery, and for the delivered disaster preparedness supplies, they operate the operator terminal 2 to register the goods information of the delivered goods in the database DB of the cloud server 5. Details of the product information will be explained later in the section on the cloud server 5.

[0032] The operator terminal 2 is also used by operators to contact companies registered in the relocation support system 1 and recipients registered in the relocation support system 1. In this embodiment, the management personnel also investigate and guarantee on behalf of the company that the recipient is an organization or the like that can properly receive items as donations.

[0033] [Corporate terminal 3] The company terminal 3 is a terminal used by employees of companies registered in the relocation support system 1, and has the same hardware configuration as a general personal computer.

[0034] Specifically, it is equipped with a CPU (central processing unit), RAM (volatile memory), ROM (non-volatile memory), input devices such as a mouse and keyboard, and output devices such as a monitor, and explanations of these are omitted as they are the same as those of the operator terminal 2.

[0035] Similarly to the operator terminal 2, the company terminal 3 may be a terminal capable of performing the same processing as a personal computer, such as a notebook PC, a tablet, or a smartphone.

[0036] Since there is a company terminal 3 for each company registered in the relocation support system 1, the relocation support system 1 appears to have multiple terminals.

[0037] For example, some companies may not be able to purchase disaster preparedness supplies and the like from management personnel due to past contractual relationships, and for items that have not been purchased from management personnel, company employees or the like operate company terminals 3 to register item information for the items in the database DB of cloud server 5. Details of the product information will be explained later in the section on the cloud server 5.

[0038] Furthermore, as will be described in more detail later, the relocation support system 1 of this embodiment allows the donating company to evaluate the impression, etc., of the recipient to whom the goods have been donated, and the company terminal 3 is also used for such evaluation.

[0039] Furthermore, as will be described in more detail later, the relocation support system 1 of this embodiment allows for hassle-free tracking of whether donated items have been received by the recipient, and the company terminal 3 is also used for this purpose.

[0040] [Recipient Terminal 4] The recipient terminal 4 is a terminal used by employees of the recipient who are registered in the relocation support system 1, and has the same hardware configuration as a general personal computer.

[0041] Specifically, it is equipped with a CPU (central processing unit), RAM (volatile memory), ROM (non-volatile memory), input devices such as a mouse and keyboard, and output devices such as a monitor, and explanations of these are omitted as they are the same as those of the operator terminal 2.

[0042] Similarly to the administrator terminal 2, the recipient terminal 4 may be a terminal capable of performing the same processing as a personal computer, such as a notebook PC, tablet, or smartphone.

[0043] Details will be explained later, but for example, if the recipient is a children's cafeteria or the like, the recipient terminal 4 is used when the staff there communicate the items they would like to be donated (items they would like to receive).

[0044] Furthermore, as will be described in more detail later, the relocation support system 1 of this embodiment allows the recipient to evaluate their impression of the company that donated the goods, their impression of the donated goods, etc., and the recipient terminal 4 is also used for such evaluations.

[0045] Furthermore, the recipient terminal 4 is also used during a receipt confirmation process to confirm that the donated item has been received, as will be described in detail later.

[0046] [Cloud Server 5] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the cloud server 5 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. The cloud server 5 includes a database DB and a virtual machine VM. A virtual machine (VM) is a computer that uses virtual computing technology to realize the same functions as a physical computer on the cloud using software, and a database (DB) is a data storage area set up by a company that provides cloud computing services.

[0047] In this embodiment, the database DB is a data storage area installed by a business that provides cloud computing services, but it is not limited to this.

[0048] For example, the database DB may be a storage area of ​​a storage device such as a data server other than that of a provider of cloud computing services that is accessible to the network N, and there is no need to particularly limit which storage area is used as the database DB.

[0049] Furthermore, the relocation support system 1 does not need to be limited to the cloud server 5 described above, but may also be composed of a server device consisting of a physical computer that can perform similar operations and a physical storage device that serves as a database DB, such as a hard disk.

[0050] (Database DB) The database DB includes an item information storage unit DB1, which is a storage area that stores item information (described below) of items owned by companies registered in the relocation support system 1, an actual data recording unit DB2, which is a storage area that stores the actual results of item relocations, and a satisfaction level recording unit DB3, which is a storage area that stores the recipient's level of satisfaction with the items they received. In this embodiment, the case where a company donates goods to a recipient is described, and therefore the performance data recording unit DB2 records past performance data relating to donations.

[0051] “Article information storage unit DB1” FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the article information storage unit DB1 of the first embodiment according to the present invention. As shown in Figure 3, the item information storage unit DB1 has the following items to be registered: company name, item management ID, item name, manufacturer name, quantity, category, transfer request, transferable time, expiration date (best before / consumed), storage location, and code (URL).

[0052] The company name is the name of the company that owns the item registered in the record.

[0053] The item management ID is a unique management number or the like that is automatically assigned to the item registered in the record when the item is registered, that is, identification information given to the item.

[0054] The product name is the product name given to the product by the manufacturer that produces the product registered in the record. In the case of private label products, etc., the seller may assign a product name to the item, so the entity that gave the name is not limited to the manufacturer, and it should be understood as what is generally called the product name.

[0055] The manufacturer name is the name of the manufacturer that produced the item registered in the record.

[0056] The quantity is the storage quantity of the item registered in that record, and is corrected if the quantity changes due to use or transfer (donation). In other words, it is the quantity currently stored, not the quantity at the time of registration.

[0057] The categories are rough grouping names based on the contents of the item. For example, if the item is food as in this embodiment, the categories include staple food, main dish, side dish, beverages (water, soft drinks (excluding water), dairy products, lactic acid bacteria drinks, etc.), and snacks (Japanese sweets, Western sweets, etc.). Note that the description in parentheses is an example of how, in this embodiment, beverages and snacks are categorized into smaller categories, but this is not necessarily limited to such classifications.

[0058] The transfer preference is an item that indicates whether or not the item is acceptable for transfer (donation). Specifically, if the item is "yes," it means that it is OK to transfer (donate) it, and if it is "no," it means that it is not OK to transfer (donate) it.

[0059] The transferable date is the date on or after which the item can be transferred.

[0060] However, the transferable period does not have to be limited to inputting the date as shown in Figure 3, and may be input, for example, three months or six months before the expiration date or best before date.

[0061] The time when the transfer is possible may be entered as to whether or not the transfer can be started. In other words, the time when the transfer is possible should be entered as "transfer start permitted" or "transfer start not permitted", etc., so long as it is clear whether the time is right to transfer or not.

[0062] The expiry date (best before / consume) indicates the expiration date or consumption date of an item (food, etc.).

[0063] The storage location indicates where the item is actually stored. If the transportation distance is long when donating an item to a recipient, the transportation costs will be high. Therefore, for example, it is desirable to propose similar items that have a shorter transportation distance, and the storage location is an item that serves as a guide for the transportation distance. Therefore, there is no need to enter the address in detail.

[0064] The code (URL) is a two-dimensional barcode linked to the item management ID, and as will be explained later, receipt can be confirmed by scanning this two-dimensional barcode.

[0065] The items registered in the product information storage unit DB1 shown in FIG. 3 are merely examples, and may be changed as necessary, such as by adding more items.

[0066] "Actual data recording unit DB2" FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the performance data recording unit DB2 of the first embodiment according to the present invention. The actual data recording section DB2 is a record of donations made to date, and the recorded items include the donor company, recipient, receipt date, item name, quantity, manufacturer name, category, and remaining days until expiration. The product name, manufacturer name, and category are the same as those explained above in the product information storage unit DB1, and therefore will not be explained again.

[0067] The provider is the name of the company that provided the item described in the record.

[0068] The recipient is the name of the organization or the like that received the item described in the record, that is, that received the donation. In addition, in the case of individuals engaged in support activities, etc., the name may be used.

[0069] The date of receipt is the date on which the recipient received the item.

[0070] The quantity is the quantity of the item received by the recipient.

[0071] The remaining number of days until expiration is the number of days remaining from the date of receipt of the product by the recipient until the expiration date or best-before date. For example, this allows one to know for each recipient how many days remaining in their desired product shelf life they are likely to want.

[0072] "Satisfaction Recording Department DB3" FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the satisfaction level recording unit DB3 of the first embodiment according to the present invention. The satisfaction level recording section DB3 includes the recipient's satisfaction level with the provider company and the recipient's satisfaction level with the received product.

[0073] The recipient's satisfaction with the provider company includes items such as recipient, recipient evaluation (provider company, score evaluation, message analysis), and provider company evaluation (message analysis).

[0074] The recipient is the person who receives the item, and the items that the recipient evaluates are the recipient evaluations.

[0075] The company providing the recipient's evaluation is the name of the company that provided the item, and the rating score is the rating given by the recipient at the time of receipt confirmation, which will be explained later.

[0076] In addition, in the message analysis of the recipient evaluation, for example, if a message is attached at the time of the score evaluation, the content of the message is analyzed by the artificial intelligence department 53 described below, and a score is generated based on the degree to which the recipient felt good about the providing company.

[0077] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the recipient's satisfaction with the provider company also includes a provider company evaluation, which is an evaluation of the provider company that provided the item to the recipient.

[0078] This provider company evaluation is, for example, when there is a message sent by the provider company in response to a message from the recipient, and the content of the message is analyzed by the artificial intelligence department 53 described below, and a score is calculated based on how favorably the provider felt toward the recipient.

[0079] In addition, for Recipient N, the score evaluation and recipient evaluation entries are marked as "-", which indicates that Recipient N did not give an evaluation score at the time of receipt confirmation, which will be explained later, and did not send any messages, etc.

[0080] Furthermore, for recipient N, there was no reply message from the provider company, and therefore no message analysis for the provider company evaluation could be performed, resulting in a "-" mark.

[0081] If recipient N responds as he does, the system will begin to infer whether the donation was really necessary, and if there is competition between recipients who wish to donate, the artificial intelligence unit 53, which will be described later, will act as a factor in adjusting the priority of the donation proposal, such as lowering it.

[0082] It should be noted that message evaluation does not need to be limited to evaluation of only the message exchange within the relocation assistance system 1, but may also include evaluation of information on recipients and providing companies found online.

[0083] The recipient's satisfaction with the received item includes the recipient, a score rating, the item name, the manufacturer name, and the category. The product name, manufacturer name, and category are the same as those explained above in the product information storage unit DB1, and therefore will not be explained again.

[0084] The recipient is the person who receives the item, and the items that the recipient evaluates are the score evaluations. This score is the same as the score of the recipient's satisfaction with the provider company mentioned above, and is the evaluation score given by the recipient at the time of receipt confirmation, which will be explained later.

[0085] Note that recipient N has a "-" written in the item, but this is as explained above.

[0086] By creating such a satisfaction record unit DB3, it becomes clear that, for example, Recipient 1 has a good relationship with provider companies A and N, and also has a tendency to have a high demand for snacks. When Recipient 1 requests to receive a new item (donate), this acts as a factor when the artificial intelligence unit 53 described below extracts items that are candidates for transfer (items that are candidates for donation).

[0087] (Virtual Machine VM) As shown in FIG. 2, the virtual machine VM includes a control unit 51, an input / output unit 52, an artificial intelligence unit 53, a code issuing unit 54, and a certificate issuing unit 55.

[0088] "Control unit 51" The control unit 51 is a control function unit that is in charge of overall control of the virtual machine VM, and the operation of the control unit 51 is the operation of the cloud server 5 or the virtual machine VM itself. Therefore, when the cloud server 5 or the virtual machine VM is simply described as the subject of the operation, the control unit 51 is the subject of control.

[0089] "Input / output section 52" The input / output unit 52 is a communication interface that controls communication with the outside. The input / output unit 52 includes an application section for external communication such as e-mail and chat.

[0090] For example, the input / output unit 52 functions as a desired information receiving unit that can receive desired information on the items that the recipient wishes to receive in a free format.

[0091] The term "free format" has the same meaning as in general usage, that is, there are no special rules such as an entry form, and text can be written freely.

[0092] An example of a free format is a message that can be sent by writing any text you like, such as in the email or chat mentioned above.

[0093] In addition, the input / output unit 52 functions as a proposal output unit when the artificial intelligence unit 53 described below extracts items that meet the recipient's wishes based on the recipient's desired information and proposes the extracted items to the recipient as transfer candidate items.

[0094] "Artificial Intelligence Club 53" The artificial intelligence unit 53 is a so-called generative AI, etc., which extracts items that meet the recipient's wishes based on desired information from the recipient through natural dialogue similar to that of an operator having a conversation with the recipient, and proposes the extracted items to the recipient as items to be transferred.

[0095] For example, the artificial intelligence unit 53 incorporates both vector data of data (information) related to items considered important for matching into VectorStore, and a match search using a normal keyword search, and performs matching by combining parts that should be an exact match with a judgment based on the similarity rate.

[0096] Specifically, there are pre-set items that are considered to be particularly important for matching, and the artificial intelligence unit 53 determines the similarity between the desired information and the item based on the items in the desired information that have been pre-specified as being particularly important for matching. For example, if a preset threshold value for similarity is exceeded, the artificial intelligence unit 53 extracts the item that exceeds the threshold value as a candidate for the item to be transferred to the recipient.

[0097] Also, depending on the recipient, there may be cases where they provide sufficient information in their request information from the beginning to extract the item (item to be donated), but this is often not the case.

[0098] In this way, if the desired information from the recipient alone is insufficient to extract an item that meets the recipient's wishes or the desired delivery time, the artificial intelligence unit 53 will prompt the recipient to enter additional information into the input / output unit 52, which serves as a desired information receiving unit, using natural language as if an operator were conversing with the recipient.

[0099] In this way, the artificial intelligence unit 53 extracts items to be provided to the recipient in a free-format interactive manner using email, chat, or the like with the recipient.

[0100] Once the item that the recipient wishes to receive has been determined, the artificial intelligence unit 53 will contact the company providing the item via email or chat to confirm whether it is okay to provide the item, and if approval is obtained from the company providing the item, it will support the recipient in creating the documents and other documents necessary for the transfer of the item that need to be sent to the company.

[0101] "Code Issuance Department 54" The code issuing unit 54 issues a code that leads to a receipt confirmation site that is set up to confirm whether the item has been received correctly when the item is delivered or received.

[0102] Once an agreement is reached between the providing company and the recipient to transfer (donate) the goods, the providing company will ship the goods to the recipient. At this time, a code that will be attached for tracing purposes and that will lead to a receipt confirmation site will be issued by the code issuing unit 54 using the goods management ID, which is identification information, by an employee of the company or the like.

[0103] Specifically, when an employee or the like operates the company terminal 3, accesses the cloud server 5, and enters the item management ID, which is the item's identification information, in the input field for code issuance, the code issuance unit 54 makes the code linked to the item management ID (specifically, a two-dimensional barcode of the URL) printable.

[0104] Then, an employee or the like operates the company terminal 3 to print the code issued by the code issuing unit 54 (specifically, a two-dimensional barcode of the URL) using a printing device such as a printer.

[0105] Simply capturing an image of this two-dimensional barcode with a camera equipped with a reading function will direct you to a website that displays product information, allowing you to view the product information for the offered item.

[0106] On the other hand, when this 2D barcode is photographed with a camera equipped with a reading function while a dedicated application is running, it will direct you to a receipt confirmation site to confirm receipt.

[0107] The recipient then uses the code (two-dimensional barcode) to access the receipt confirmation site and carry out the receipt confirmation process. Specifically, the 2D barcode issued as described above is sent to the recipient along with the item, and the recipient then launches a dedicated application and captures an image of the 2D barcode with a camera that has a reading function.

[0108] FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a receipt confirmation screen for confirming receipt after capturing an image of a 2D barcode, which is displayed when the dedicated application of the first embodiment of the present invention is launched and the 2D barcode is captured with a camera having a reading function.

[0109] Note that Figure 6 shows the receipt confirmation screen that appears when a 2D barcode is captured using a smartphone with the application installed, but the items displayed on a monitor, etc. will be the same even if the image is captured using a camera attached to a personal computer.

[0110] As shown in Figure 6, the screen displays the item name, manufacturer name, quantity, etc. so that inspection can be performed upon receipt. It also has a check box for receipt confirmation and a score input field for score evaluation. By checking the check box and tapping the send button, the receipt confirmation process is completed.

[0111] There is also a space on the screen where recipients can enter messages to the companies that provided the items, so recipients can enter words of gratitude and then tap the send button to send a message to the company.

[0112] However, the method of confirming receipt of the item need not be limited to those described above.

[0113] For example, if a recipient registered with the relocation support system 1 has created an account with the relocation support system 1, a passcode for acknowledging receipt may be sent along with the item, and the recipient may confirm receipt by logging in with that account and entering a passcode, etc.

[0114] Furthermore, when the system is linked with a shipping company, the shipping company may provide the recipient with a code for receipt confirmation when handing over the item to the recipient.

[0115] "Certificate Issuance Department 55" After the recipient receives the item, the certificate issuing unit 55 issues a donation receipt certificate to the company that provided the item, certifying that the item has been donated.

[0116] For example, if the donation is appropriate, shipping costs may be expensed, and a certificate is issued for this purpose. In addition, if the donation is appropriate, in the case of general food products, not only the shipping costs but also the assessed value as inventory can be included as a deductible expense. It can also be said that a certificate is issued in the sense that the person is making a social contribution through donations, etc.

[0117] This donation receipt certificate may be issued, for example, by the certificate issuing unit 55 to the company that made the donation after the recipient approves the issuance during the receipt confirmation described above, or after the recipient confirms the receipt, the company that made the donation may access the cloud server 5 using the company terminal 3 and request the issuance of a donation receipt certificate, and then the certificate issuing unit 55 may issue the certificate to the company that made the donation.

[0118] [Procedure for transferring goods] Next, with reference to FIG. 7, the flow up to the transfer of an item will be described. FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining the flow up to the transfer of an article in the first embodiment according to the present invention. The cloud server 5 in FIG. 7 is the same as that shown in FIG. 2, but please note that some parts have been omitted to make the drawing easier to understand.

[0119] As explained above, the registration of item information in the item information storage unit DB1 is simply entered by management personnel or employees of the company providing the items, so the following explanation will mainly focus on the process from the request from the recipient to the transfer of the item (i.e., donation).

[0120] As shown in FIG. 7, for example, the recipient operates the recipient terminal 4 and sends desired information about the item they wish to receive to the cloud server 5 in a free format using a communication means such as email or chat.

[0121] The input / output unit 52 (email or chat software) then receives the desired information in free format, and the artificial intelligence unit 53 analyzes the received desired information text, extracts items that meet the recipient's wishes, and proposes the extracted items to the recipient as transfer candidates.This is the basic initial flow.

[0122] However, as mentioned earlier, the free-form desired information can be vague, making it difficult to extract items or read delivery dates.

[0123] In such a case, the artificial intelligence unit 53 generates and replies to the recipient terminal 4 via the input / output unit 52 natural questions that will elicit answers such as the desired time of receipt (e.g., desired delivery deadline), category, quantity, and location of receipt, just like an operator would, thereby prompting the recipient to input additional information into the input / output unit 52, which serves as a desired information receiving unit.

[0124] While this free-format interaction between the recipient and the artificial intelligence unit 53 (see arrow AR1) takes place, the artificial intelligence unit 53 refers to items that are available for transfer in the item information storage unit DB1 (see Figure 2) of the database DB as candidates for extraction when extracting items that meet the recipient's wishes.

[0125] Specifically, since this embodiment describes the case where the item is food, during the exchange, the artificial intelligence unit 53 will predict from the desired information that the item desired by the recipient is food, but in this case, food that has expired or is past its expiration date at the desired time of receipt extracted from the desired information will not be included as an item to be extracted.

[0126] That is, the artificial intelligence unit 53 proceeds with extracting products using as one of the extraction conditions that the expiration date or use-by date is not expired at the desired time of receipt.

[0127] The artificial intelligence unit 53 also takes into consideration the distance from the storage location of the item to the recipient's receiving location when deciding which transferable item to propose to the recipient. For example, if, as a result of the extraction, it is determined that similar items that could be candidates for transfer are stored in multiple storage locations, the artificial intelligence unit 53 will prioritize and suggest to the recipient the item that is closest in distance from the storage location of the item to the recipient's receiving location. In addition, the artificial intelligence unit 53 may be configured to determine transferable items to propose to the recipient taking into consideration not only the distance but also the means of transportation, route, time, etc., in order to reduce CO2 emissions.

[0128] Furthermore, in this embodiment, since the system is equipped with a performance data recording unit DB2 that records past performance data regarding donations as described above, the artificial intelligence unit 53 refers to the performance data recording unit and takes into consideration the past performance data when deciding on the transferable items to propose to the recipient.

[0129] Specifically, the proposed transferable items may be determined by referring not only to the past performance data of the recipient (also referred to as the current donor) who wishes to make a donation, but also to the past performance data of recipients similar to the current donor.

[0130] For example, if the person wishing to donate this time is involved in a facility, the system may also refer to data on past donations to similar facilities (e.g., facilities for children, elderly care facilities, etc.) and suggest items that are frequently donated (popular items) as transferable items.

[0131] In addition, the system may also refer to the location (region) of the person seeking donation and data on past donations in regions and sizes similar to the desired donation size, and suggest items that are frequently donated (popular items) as transferable items.

[0132] Furthermore, the system may also refer to data on past donations to events similar to the event for which the current donor wishes to receive a donation, and suggest items that are frequently donated (popular items) as transferable items.

[0133] As shown in Figure 4, the actual data recording unit DB2 stores information about which company (see "providing company") made a donation to which recipient (see "recipient"), and the size (see "quantity") of the donation.In addition, although not shown in the figure, the actual data recording unit DB2 also stores rules regarding transportation (means of transportation, route, delivery time, etc.) and storage that were agreed upon when making past donations. Therefore, the artificial intelligence unit 53 extracts information on storage methods, transportation destinations, and logistics from past donations of a similar scale, and uses this information as a reference when selecting transferable items to propose to recipients.

[0134] In addition, when presenting the extracted transferable items to the recipient, the artificial intelligence unit 53 also presents information on storage methods, shipping destinations, and logistics for past donations of a similar scale, making it easier for the recipient to receive the items and making matching more efficient.

[0135] In addition, since this embodiment is equipped with the satisfaction level recording unit DB3 described above, the artificial intelligence unit 53 refers to the satisfaction level recording unit DB3 and, if there are multiple recipient candidates who propose the same item as a transfer candidate, decides to which of the recipients to propose the item as a transfer candidate, taking into account the registered satisfaction levels.

[0136] Naturally, this does not apply if the number of items meets the quantities desired by multiple recipients, but if there is not enough to transfer (donate) to all recipients, the artificial intelligence unit 53 will prioritize the transfer (donation) of items between those with high satisfaction ratings (companies (donors) with high satisfaction ratings and recipients (donation recipients)) so that the overall satisfaction level will be high.

[0137] In this way, the artificial intelligence unit 53 interacts with the recipient (see arrow AR1) while referring to the database DB (item information storage unit DB1, performance data recording unit DB2, and satisfaction level recording unit DB3), extracts items that meet the recipient's wishes, and suggests the extracted items to the recipient as transfer candidate items.

[0138] This proposal is not limited to one time, and if the recipient responds that they would prefer a different item than the one proposed, the recipient will be offered another item that is a candidate for transfer that has not yet been proposed.

[0139] Once an item that meets the recipient's wishes has been decided, the artificial intelligence unit 53 will contact the company terminal 3 of the company that owns the item that the recipient wishes to receive via the input / output unit 52 by email or chat to confirm whether there is a recipient who wishes to receive the item, i.e., a donation recipient who wishes to receive a donation, and whether it is okay to transfer (donate) the item (see arrow AR2).

[0140] As a result, when the company that owns the item contacts the company by email or chat to inform them that the item can be transferred (donated) (see arrow AR2), the artificial intelligence unit 53 creates the request form necessary to receive the transfer (donation) of the item and sends it to the recipient (see arrow AR1).

[0141] If the company has a format for the request, the artificial intelligence department 53 creates the request in that format, but if only an email communication is sufficient, the artificial intelligence department 53 creates a request letter to be attached to the email and sends it to the recipient (see arrow AR1).

[0142] The recipient then sends the request form to the company that owns the item by email attachment, fax, mail, or other means, or sends the request letter by email, and the company that receives it sends the item to the recipient's pick-up location.

[0143] As already explained, at this time, the company employee or the like attaches a code issued by the code issuing unit 54 to the item and sends it, and the recipient uses the code to confirm receipt. As explained above, when confirming receipt, an evaluation of satisfaction level and the like is carried out, and once receipt confirmation is complete, a donation receipt certificate can be issued.

[0144] Once the receipt confirmation is complete, the transfer (donation) of the goods is completed, and the performance data regarding this new donation is added to the performance data recording unit DB2. Specifically, the control unit 51 or the artificial intelligence unit 53 adds the achievement data regarding this new donation to the achievement data recording unit DB2 described with reference to FIG.

[0145] Furthermore, the satisfaction rating for this new donation is also added to the satisfaction record DB3. Specifically, as explained above, the control unit 51 or the artificial intelligence unit 53 reflects the results of this new donation in the score evaluation item of the satisfaction level recording unit DB3 explained with reference to Figure 5, and the artificial intelligence unit 53 reflects the results of this new donation in the message analysis item of the satisfaction level recording unit DB3.

[0146] On the other hand, there are cases where the input / output unit 52 as a desired information receiving unit receives standardized desired information as desired information from a recipient. The standardized desired information is something like "I would like to receive the donation of... that I requested previously."

[0147] In this case, since the items that the recipient wants to receive as donations have already been decided, items that fit the standardized content (previous donations) will be proposed to the recipient as transfer candidates, rather than suggestions that involve processing such as extraction by the artificial intelligence unit 53.

[0148] For example, the control unit 51 or the artificial intelligence unit 53 will refer to the item information storage unit DB1 and check whether there are any items that can be provided that are in line with previous donations, and if there are any items that can be provided, the control unit 51 or the artificial intelligence unit 53 will suggest them to the recipient as transfer candidates.

[0149] As described above, according to the first embodiment, the artificial intelligence unit 53 undertakes the workload of connecting unwanted items that can be donated by companies with recipients who will receive the items, thereby reducing the human workload.

[0150] In particular, in the first embodiment, since the product is a food product, the deadline for transferring the product is the best-before date or the expiry date.

[0151] Although expiration dates can be considered absolute deadlines, there are also issues with best-before dates, such as how far they can be exceeded in terms of safety, so it is basically necessary to assume that the best-before date will be observed.

[0152] For this reason, the matching work is extremely tight, and since the AI ​​department 53 is responsible for such work, it can be said that the human burden can be greatly reduced.Furthermore, reducing food waste has become a global issue, and its reduction is a very important social theme.

[0153] Therefore, the transfer of goods is a donation of food that would otherwise be discarded, and the transfer support system 1 of the first embodiment that supports the donation of that food is a very valuable system in terms of contributing to society.

[0154] Furthermore, by adding a satisfaction rating that serves as a guide to whether or not the item is truly needed, it is possible to deliver the item to where it is truly needed.

[0155] Second Embodiment Next, a relocation assistance system 1 according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 8 is a diagram for explaining a relocation assistance system 1 according to a second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating the cloud server 5 according to the second embodiment of the present invention. The second embodiment also has the same basic configuration as the first embodiment, and the description of the same configuration may be omitted.

[0156] As shown in FIG. 8, the relocation assistance system 1 of the second embodiment further includes a product information providing site 6. The product information providing site 6 is, for example, a providing portal site where government agencies and the like provide information on stockpiled products as a measure to prevent food waste from disaster preparedness stockpiles. For example, such a portal site or the like indicates the delivery start date as product information about the product to be provided, and this delivery start date corresponds to the transferable period.

[0157] In addition, such portal sites also provide product information about the products they provide, such as the item (category such as staple food or side dish), product name, manufacturer name (seller / manufacturer), quantity, and expiration date.

[0158] However, since it is expected that similar sites will increase in the future, not limited to government agencies, it goes without saying that the product information providing site 6 may include such sites.

[0159] As shown in FIG. 9, the cloud server 5 of the second embodiment further includes an item information acquisition unit 56, which accesses the item information providing site 6 via the input / output unit 52 to collect item information.

[0160] In this embodiment, the product information acquisition unit 56 accesses the product information providing site 6 to collect product information, but this is not limited to this. For example, the product information acquisition unit 56 may be a portable memory (such as a USB memory) that stores product information about products provided by a company or the like, and may be connected to the network N so that the cloud server 5 can access it. For example, such a memory may be connected to the network N via a computer such as the operator terminal 2.

[0161] In this way, in the second embodiment, the item information of transferable items other than the items stored in the item information storage unit DB1 is collected.

[0162] When extracting transfer candidate items, the artificial intelligence unit 53 also refers to items other than those stored in the item information storage unit DB1 as candidates to be extracted, and proceeds with the extraction of items that meet the recipient's wishes.

[0163] As described above, in the second embodiment, when extracting transfer candidate items, the artificial intelligence unit 53 refers not only to the items stored in the item information storage unit DB1, but also to items other than those stored in the item information storage unit DB1 that are acquired by the item information acquisition unit 56, and proceeds with the extraction of the items.As a result, since the number of items to be extracted increases, it is possible to extract items that better meet the recipient's wishes.

[0164] Third Embodiment Next, a relocation assistance system 1 according to a third embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a cloud server 5 according to the third embodiment of the present invention.

[0165] The overall configuration of the relocation support system 1 is the same as that shown in FIG. Furthermore, the basic configuration of the third embodiment is similar to that of the second embodiment, and the description of the similar configuration may be omitted.

[0166] As shown in Figure 10, the third embodiment does not have the product information storage unit DB1 that was included in the database DB of the second embodiment, and is configured so that the product information acquisition unit 56 simply accesses the product information providing site 6 via the input / output unit 52 to collect product information.

[0167] In this way, the relocation assistance system 1 may not have the item information storage unit DB1, and the item information acquisition unit 56 may access the item information providing site 6 via the input / output unit 52 to collect item information.

[0168] Although the present invention has been described above based on specific embodiments, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments.

[0169] In the above embodiment, we have explained the case where the items are food, particularly, among a company's disaster preparedness supplies, but this is not limited to items with best-before dates or expiration dates. There are also items other than food that a company owns that are still usable but must be disposed of as industrial waste.

[0170] For example, even if we look at disaster preparedness supplies alone, items other than food, such as blankets and batteries, are replaced periodically, and older items, due to storage space issues, are eventually scheduled to be discarded as industrial waste, even though they are still usable.The replacement period and planned discard date can be treated in the same way as best-before dates and expiration dates, and items other than food scheduled to be discarded can be included in the items for which relocation is supported by the relocation support system 1.

[0171] In addition, items other than food may also be items such as equipment, and in the case of such items, there are service deadlines such as the manufacturer's parts production deadline (for example, the deadline for discontinuing production of replacement parts) and the end of support deadline.These service deadlines may be treated in the same way as best-before dates and expiration dates, and the items for which the relocation support system 1 supports relocation may include items other than food with service deadlines.

[0172] In addition, the database DB may be provided with an annual schedule memory section, which is a memory area for storing recipients' annual events, and for example, for items with few days remaining until the expiration date or best-before date, the control unit 51 may refer to the annual schedule memory section and send a standard message from the input / output unit 52 to recipients who are planning to hold an event in the near future, inviting recipients to receive the item, along with information about the item. This will make it possible to further reduce food waste and other waste.

[0173] As described above, the present invention includes modifications and improvements to the above-described embodiments within the technical scope of the invention, and this will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0174] 1...Relocation support system, 2...Operator terminal, 3...Company terminal, 4...Recipient terminal, 5...Cloud server, 51...Control unit, 52...Input / output unit, 53...Artificial intelligence unit, 54...Code issuing unit, 55...Certificate issuing unit, 56...Product information acquisition unit, 6...Product information providing site, DB...Database, DB1...Product information storage unit, DB2...Performance data recording unit, DB3...Satisfaction level recording unit, N...Network, VM...Virtual machine

Claims

1. A relocation support system that supports the relocation of goods, The relocation assistance system includes: an artificial intelligence unit that proposes the items to be transferred to a recipient; a desired information receiving unit capable of receiving desired information of the item to be received from the recipient in a free format, The artificial intelligence unit extracts the items that meet the recipient's wishes based on the wish information, and proposes the extracted items to the recipient as transfer candidate items; A relocation support system characterized in that, when extracting items as relocation candidates based on item information for the items, including the date when they can be relocated, the artificial intelligence unit selects items that are within the date when they can be relocated as candidates for extraction.

2. the article comprises a food product; When the product is a food product, the product information includes a best-before date or a consumption date. The relocation support system of claim 1, characterized in that when the artificial intelligence unit predicts from the desired information that the item desired by the recipient is the food, it does not include food items that have expired or are past their expiration date at the desired receipt time extracted from the desired information as items to be extracted.

3. The relocation support system described in claim 1, characterized in that if the desired information is insufficient to extract the item that meets the recipient's desire or the desired receipt date, the artificial intelligence unit further prompts the recipient to input additional information into the desired information receiving unit.

4. The product information includes identification information given to the product for identification purposes, The relocation assistance system includes a code issuing unit that issues a code that leads to a receipt confirmation site, The company uses the identification information to cause the code issuing unit to issue a code that leads to a receipt confirmation site, 4. The relocation assistance system according to claim 1, wherein the recipient uses the code to access a receipt confirmation site and perform a receipt confirmation process.

5. the recipient is a person who receives the item as a donation; The relocation support system according to claim 4, further comprising a certificate issuing unit that issues a donation receipt certificate to the company that owned the item after the recipient receives the item.

6. The item information includes a storage location of the item, The relocation support system described in any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the artificial intelligence unit determines the relocatable items to be proposed to the recipient by taking into account at least one of the distance from the storage location of the items to the recipient's receiving location, the means of transportation, the route, and the time.

7. The article includes an article other than a food item, When the product is other than the food product, the product information includes a replacement deadline, a planned disposal date, or a service provision deadline, The relocation support system described in any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that if the artificial intelligence unit predicts from the desired information that the item desired by the recipient is other than the food, it will not include in the items to be extracted any item other than the food that has a replacement deadline, planned disposal date, or service provision deadline that has expired at the desired receipt time extracted from the desired information.

8. The relocation assistance system includes a performance data recording unit that records past performance data, The relocation support system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the artificial intelligence unit determines the relocatable items to be proposed to the recipient taking into consideration the past performance data.

9. the relocation assistance system includes a satisfaction level recording unit that registers the recipient's satisfaction level with the item received, The relocation assistance system of claim 8, wherein when there are multiple recipient candidates who propose the same item as the transfer candidate, the artificial intelligence unit decides to which of the recipients to propose the item as the transfer candidate, taking into account the registered satisfaction level.

10. The relocation support system described in claim 8, characterized in that when the desired information receiving unit receives the standardized desired information, the item that conforms to the standardized content is proposed to the recipient as a relocation candidate.

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