Management device

Abstract

To solve the problem that it is difficult to reduce the time and effort in providing childcare services.SOLUTION: A management device comprises: a management unit configured to acquire and manage information indicating usage status of childcare services; and an output unit configured to output information indicating a usage fee corresponding to the result of using childcare services outside a predetermined time, the usage fee being calculated based on the information managed by the management unit.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 15

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a management device, a management method, and a program. [Background technology]

[0002] BACKGROUND ART Techniques for supporting operations at kindergartens, nursery schools, and after-school care centers are known.

[0003] For example, Patent Document 1 describes a supervision support device having a usage history acquisition unit that acquires usage history information through authentication by an authentication device. According to Patent Document 1, the usage history acquisition unit stores the time when the child associated with the biometric information arrived at the childcare facility (the time when the child started using childcare services) based on the result of matching biometric information read by the child when the child arrived at the childcare facility. The usage history acquisition unit also performs a similar process when the child leaves the childcare facility, thereby storing the time when the child associated with the biometric information left the facility (the time when the child finished using childcare services). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2019-219997 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] Kindergartens and nurseries sometimes provide childcare services beyond predetermined hours, such as after-school care and extended childcare. In such cases, a separate usage fee may be charged depending on the length of time the service is extended, but such usage fees cannot be calculated simply by managing the start and end times of use of the childcare service, as described in Patent Document 1. As a result, the usage fees must be calculated separately, for example, manually, which creates a problem in that it can be difficult to reduce the effort required to provide childcare services.

[0006] Therefore, one object of the present invention is to provide a management device, a management method, and a program that can solve the above-mentioned problems. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In order to achieve this object, a management device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure includes: a management unit that acquires and manages information indicating the usage status of childcare services; an output unit that outputs information indicating a usage fee according to the result of using the childcare service outside of the specified hours, the usage fee being calculated according to the information managed by the management unit; have The structure is as follows.

[0008] Furthermore, a management method according to another aspect of the present disclosure includes: The information processing device Acquire and manage information showing the usage status of childcare services, Output information indicating the usage fee according to the result of using childcare services outside of designated hours, calculated according to the managed information. The structure is as follows.

[0009] Furthermore, a program according to another aspect of the present disclosure includes: In the information processing device, Acquire and manage information showing the usage status of childcare services, Output information indicating the usage fee according to the result of using childcare services outside of designated hours, calculated according to the managed information. It is a program for realizing the processing. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] According to the above-mentioned configurations, the system can calculate the usage fee, thereby reducing the effort required to provide childcare services. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0011] [Figure 1]FIG. 1 illustrates an example of the overall configuration of a management system. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a management device. [Figure 3] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of usage status information. [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of usage fee information. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of calculation of usage fees. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating another example of calculation of the usage fee. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating another example of calculation of the usage fee. [Figure 8] FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration example of an authentication device. [Figure 9] 10 is a flowchart illustrating an example of the operation of the management device when storing usage status information. [Figure 10] 10 is a flowchart illustrating an example of the operation of the management device when calculating a usage fee. [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is a block diagram illustrating another example of the configuration of the management device. [Figure 12] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of generation of attendance information. [Figure 13] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating another example of the configuration of the management system. [Figure 14] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of a hardware configuration of a management device according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 15] FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a management device. [Figure 16] 10 is a flowchart illustrating an example of the operation of the management device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0012] [First embodiment] A first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 13. FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of the overall configuration of a management system 100. FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a management device 200. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of usage status information 253. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of usage fee information 254. FIGS. 5 to 7 are diagrams illustrating an example of calculation of usage fees. FIG. 8 is a block diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of an authentication device 300. FIGS. 9 and 10 are flowcharts illustrating an example of operation of the management device 200. FIG. 11 is a block diagram illustrating another example of the configuration of the management device 200. FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating an example of generation of attendance information. FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating another example of the configuration of the management system 100. Note that in this disclosure, the drawings may be associated with one or more of the embodiments.

[0013] In a first embodiment of the present disclosure, a management system 100 is described that can calculate usage fees for childcare services outside of designated hours, such as after-school care and extended childcare, based on information indicating the usage status of childcare services provided at daycare centers, kindergartens, after-school programs, etc. As will be described later, the management system 100 acquires and manages information indicating the usage status of services, such as the start time and end time, based on the results of facial recognition performed when a service user, such as a child, arrives at or leaves the daycare center. Furthermore, the management system 100 identifies time periods during which no additional usage fees are charged for the use of childcare services for the corresponding service user, by referencing pre-stored information, etc. Then, the management system 100 calculates the usage fees required for after-school care, extended childcare, etc., based on the managed information, the identified time periods during which no additional usage fees are charged, and other factors.

[0014] In addition to calculating the usage fee, the management system 100 can also perform various processes required for actually billing the usage fee. For example, the management system 100 checks whether the time period for which the usage fee is calculated includes the time when a specific event, such as snack time, is scheduled to occur. If the time period for which the usage fee is calculated includes the time when the event occurs, the management system 100 adds a usage fee corresponding to the occurrence of the event. For example, as described above, the management system 100 can add a usage fee corresponding to a new event that occurs due to an extension of the childcare service hours. Furthermore, when calculating the usage fee, the management system 100 can calculate the usage fee so that it does not exceed a predetermined daily upper limit. Furthermore, the management system 100 can calculate the total amount of usage fees per month. In this case, the management system 100 can calculate the total amount so that it does not exceed a predetermined monthly upper limit. The management system 100 may perform each of the above calculations taking into account the upper limit of subsidies, etc.

[0015] For example, as described above, the management system 100 can perform calculations based on various conditions that need to be considered when billing a service fee. The management system 100 may perform the calculations using different values ​​for each service user, such as a child. For example, the time periods during which no separate usage fees are charged, the usage fees required for providing extended childcare, the presence, duration, and content of events, the daily and monthly maximum amounts, and the amount of subsidies available vary depending on various factors, such as the service user's age, the certifications the service user has received, the parent's income status, and the presence or absence of a contract with another service provider. The management system 100 can be configured to calculate fees based on the individual circumstances of each service user, taking into account the various factors described above.

[0016] Fig. 1 shows an example of the overall configuration of a management system 100. Referring to Fig. 1, the management system 100 includes a management device 200 and an authentication device 300. As shown in Fig. 1, the management device 200 and the authentication device 300 are connected via a network or the like so as to be able to communicate with each other.

[0017] The management system 100 may have a configuration other than that illustrated in Fig. 1. For example, the management system 100 may have a plurality of management devices 200. The management system 100 may also have a plurality of authentication devices 300.

[0018] The management device 200 is an information processing device that acquires and manages information indicating the usage status of the service, such as the start time and end time of the childcare service, and calculates the usage fee. For example, the management device 200 is a general portable terminal such as a tablet terminal. As an example, the management device 200 is installed in a place that can be easily used by service users when arriving and leaving the childcare facility, such as the entrance or classroom of the childcare facility. The management device 200 may also be any other information processing device.

[0019] Fig. 2 shows an example of the configuration of management device 200. Referring to Fig. 2, management device 200 has, as main components, for example, an operation input unit 210, a screen display unit 220, a communication interface unit 230, an imaging unit 240, a storage unit 250, and an arithmetic processing unit 260. In addition to the configuration exemplified above, management device 200 may have a configuration that is included in a general portable terminal.

[0020] 2 illustrates an example in which the functions of management device 200 are realized using one information processing device. However, at least some of the functions of management device 200 may be realized using multiple information processing devices, for example, on the cloud. For example, management device 200 may be composed of an information processing device that manages information indicating the usage status of the service, and an information processing device that calculates the usage fee when using childcare services outside of specified hours. Furthermore, management device 200 may not include some of the components illustrated above, such as not having operation input unit 210 or screen display unit 220, or may have components other than those illustrated above.

[0021] The operation input unit 210 is made up of operation input devices such as a keyboard, a mouse, etc. The operation input unit 210 detects operations of the operator who operates the management device 200 and outputs the operations to the arithmetic processing unit 260.

[0022] The screen display unit 220 is composed of a screen display device such as a liquid crystal display, an organic EL (electro-luminescence) display, etc. The screen display unit 220 can display various information stored in the storage unit 250 on the screen in response to instructions from the arithmetic processing unit 260.

[0023] The communication interface unit 230 is composed of a data communication circuit, etc. The communication interface unit 230 performs data communication with an external device such as the authentication device 300 connected via a communication line.

[0024] The imaging unit 240 acquires image data such as a facial image of a child in response to an operation on the operation input unit 210. The imaging unit 240 can also acquire the time when the image data was acquired, in addition to acquiring image data such as a facial image. The imaging unit 240 may be a general built-in camera.

[0025] The storage unit 250 is a storage device such as a hard disk or memory. The storage unit 250 stores processing information and programs 255 required for various processes in the arithmetic processing unit 260. The programs 255 are read into the arithmetic processing unit 260 and executed to realize various processing units. The programs 255 are read in advance from an external device or recording medium via a data input / output function such as the communication interface unit 230, and are stored in the storage unit 250. Main information stored in the storage unit 250 includes, for example, fee information 251, attribute information 252, usage status information 253, and usage fee information 254.

[0026] The fee information 251 indicates the usage fees required when using childcare services outside of specified hours, such as after-school care and extended childcare. The fee information 251 may also include the conditions under which the usage fees are required. The fee information 251 is acquired in advance by inputting the information using the operation input unit 210, acquiring the information from an external device via the communication interface unit 230, or the like, and is stored in the storage unit 250.

[0027] For example, the fee information 251 includes information indicating the usage fee per predetermined time period, such as xxx yen for 10 minutes or yyy yen for 1 hour, which is required when using childcare services outside of the specified hours. The fee information 251 may also include information indicating the usage fee per predetermined time period for each applicable time period, such as the usage fee per predetermined time period from 6:00 PM to 7:30 PM or the usage fee per predetermined time period from 7:30 PM to 9:00 PM. The fee information 251 may also include information indicating the usage fee per age group, such as information indicating the usage fee per predetermined time period for service users aged 0 to 3 years old, or information indicating the usage fee per predetermined time period for service users aged 3 years or older. The fee information 251 may also include information indicating usage fees according to any other conditions.

[0028] The fee information 251 may also include information indicating a usage fee required when an event such as a snack occurs. The fee information 251 may associate information indicating the usage fee required when the event occurs with the time when a predetermined event is scheduled to occur. The fee information 251 may also include information indicating a date on which an event may occur. The events may include snack times, meal times when a side dish is required, meal times when a school lunch or a boxed lunch is required, and other arbitrary events.

[0029] For example, the fee information 251 can include various information, such as those exemplified above, that is required when the management device 200 calculates the usage fee. Note that the fee information 251 may also include information other than those exemplified above, such as information indicating the upper limit of the usage fee per day or per month.

[0030] The attribute information 252 includes information according to the attributes of each service user and the service user's parent, such as information required to identify time periods when no additional usage fees are charged for the use of the service and information indicating the range of free use. For example, the attribute information 252 may include information for each service user, such as a child. As an example, the attribute information 252 associates a service user's identifier with various information. The attribute information 252 is acquired in advance by inputting the information using the operation input unit 210, acquiring the information from an external device via the communication interface unit 230, or the like, and is stored in the storage unit 250.

[0031] For example, the attribute information 252 includes information indicating whether standard childcare hours or short-term childcare hours are applied, information indicating certification such as Type 1 certification, Type 2 certification, Type 3 certification, new Type 1 certification, new Type 2 certification, or new Type 3 certification, information indicating time periods when no usage fee is charged for each certification, and other information required to identify time periods when no usage fee is charged. The attribute information 252 may also include information indicating a contract concluded in advance with a childcare service provider regarding extended childcare, etc.

[0032] The attribute information 252 may also include information indicating whether or not a service user meets predetermined exemption criteria, such as exemption from side dish fees, or whether or not the service user meets criteria for making various events, usage fees, etc. The attribute information 252 may also include information indicating the upper limit of the subsidy amount according to attributes such as the service user's age and parent's annual income.

[0033] Usage status information 253 includes information indicating the usage status of services such as childcare services. For example, usage status information 253 includes, for each service user, information indicating the time when use of the childcare services starts and the time when use of the childcare services ends. Usage status information 253 is updated by usage status information management unit 264 according to the results of face authentication acquired by authentication result acquisition unit 263 (described later), etc.

[0034] Fig. 3 shows an example of the usage status information 253. Referring to Fig. 3, the usage status information 253 associates, for each service user such as a child, information indicating the start time when use of the childcare service begins on each day and information indicating the end time when use of the childcare service ends. For example, Fig. 3 shows that service user "AAAA" started use of the childcare service at "8:01" on date "2 / 1" and ended use of the childcare service at "18:43."

[0035] The usage fee information 254 indicates information indicating the usage fees for use of childcare services such as daycare and extended childcare for each service user. The usage fee information 254 may include information indicating the usage fees for each service user, as well as information indicating the usage fees aggregated by a predetermined unit such as for each parent of the service user. The usage fee information 254 is updated as the usage fee calculation unit 265 calculates the usage fee, etc.

[0036] Fig. 4 shows an example of the usage fee information 254. Referring to Fig. 4, the usage fee information 254 associates the usage fee for each day, the total amount for each month, and the like with each service user. Note that, as described above, the usage fee information 254 may also include information indicating usage fees that are summarized by the service user's parent, class, age, or any other attribute.

[0037] The arithmetic processing unit 260 has an arithmetic device such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) and its peripheral circuits. The arithmetic processing unit 260 reads and executes a program 255 from the storage unit 250, thereby causing the above hardware and the program 255 to work together to realize various processing units. Major processing units realized by the arithmetic processing unit 260 include, for example, a face image acquisition unit 261, a face image transmission unit 262, an authentication result acquisition unit 263, a usage status information management unit 264, a usage fee calculation unit 265, and an output unit 266.

[0038] In addition, the arithmetic processing unit 260 may have a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), a DSP (Digital Signal Processor), an MPU (Micro Processing Unit), an FPU (Floating point number Processing Unit), a PPU (Physics Processing Unit), a TPU (Tensor Processing Unit), a quantum processor, a microcontroller, or a combination of these, instead of the above-mentioned CPU.

[0039] The facial image acquiring unit 261 acquires a facial image, which is image data including the face of the service user. The facial image acquiring unit 261 may acquire the facial image in response to an operation on the management device 200 by the service user or an operation on the management device 200 by a childcare worker or the like.

[0040] For example, when a service user such as a child arrives at a nursery school, the facial image acquisition unit 261 acquires a facial image by operating the management device 200 installed at the entrance or classroom of the nursery school. Furthermore, when a service user such as a child leaves the nursery school, the facial image acquisition unit 261 acquires a facial image by operating the management device 200 installed at the entrance or classroom of the nursery school. The facial image acquisition unit 261 may acquire a facial image so that a facial image acquired at the time of arrival at the nursery school and a facial image acquired at the time of departure can be distinguished from a facial image acquired at the time of arrival at the nursery school by associating the facial image with information indicating that the facial image was acquired at the time of arrival at the nursery school or information indicating that the facial image was acquired at the time of departure from the nursery school. The facial image acquisition unit 261 may acquire information indicating the time the facial image was acquired together with the facial image. The facial image acquisition unit 261 may determine whether the service user arrived at a nursery school or a nursery school or an infant based on an operation on the operation input unit 210, or may make the above determination based on the time the facial image was acquired.

[0041] The facial image transmitting unit 262 transmits the facial image acquired by the facial image acquiring unit 261 to the authentication device 300. The facial image transmitting unit 262 may transmit information indicating that the facial image was acquired when the child arrived at the kindergarten or information indicating that the facial image was acquired when the child left the kindergarten, together with the facial image, to the authentication device 300. The facial image transmitting unit 262 may transmit information indicating the acquisition time of the facial image, together with the facial image, to the authentication device 300.

[0042] The facial image transmitting unit 262 may transmit the facial image at any timing. For example, the facial image transmitting unit 262 may transmit the acquired facial image to the authentication device 300 every time the facial image acquiring unit 261 acquires the facial image. The facial image transmitting unit 262 may transmit the facial image at timings other than those exemplified above, such as transmitting the facial image at predetermined intervals.

[0043] The authentication result acquisition unit 263 acquires, from the authentication device 300, information indicating the result of face authentication performed by the authentication device 300 using the face image transmitted by the face image transmission unit 262. For example, the authentication result acquisition unit 263 can acquire information for identifying the service user, such as the name of the service user, as the result of face authentication. In addition to the information for identifying the service user, the authentication result acquisition unit 263 may also acquire information indicating that face authentication has been performed based on a face image acquired when the service user arrives at the kindergarten or information indicating that face authentication has been performed based on a face image acquired when the service user leaves the kindergarten. The authentication result acquisition unit 263 may also acquire information indicating the time the face image used for authentication was acquired, along with the various types of information described above.

[0044] The usage status information management unit 264 acquires and manages information indicating the usage status of services such as childcare services, according to the information acquired by the authentication result acquisition unit 263. The usage status information management unit 264 may manage the information indicating the usage status of services such as childcare services, by updating the usage status information 253 according to the information acquired by the authentication result acquisition unit 263.

[0045] For example, suppose that the authentication result acquisition unit 263 acquires information indicating the result of face authentication together with information indicating that face authentication has been performed based on a face image acquired when the child arrives at kindergarten. In this case, the usage status information management unit 264 inputs the acquisition time of the face image used for face authentication as the start time of the corresponding service user on the corresponding date in the usage status information 253. Also, suppose that the authentication result acquisition unit 263 acquires information indicating the result of face authentication together with information indicating that face authentication has been performed based on a face image acquired when the child leaves kindergarten. In this case, the usage status information management unit 264 inputs the acquisition time of the face image used for face authentication as the end time of the corresponding service user on the corresponding date in the usage status information 253. For example, as described above, the usage status information management unit 264 can update the usage status information 253 using the acquisition time of the face image used for face authentication.

[0046] It is also assumed that the authentication result acquisition unit 263 may not acquire information indicating that face authentication has been performed based on a face image acquired when the child arrives at the nursery school or information indicating that face authentication has been performed based on a face image acquired when the child leaves the nursery school. In this case, the usage status information management unit 264 can determine whether to update the start time or the end time depending on whether the usage status information 253 has already been updated for the corresponding service user on the corresponding date, the time to update the usage status information 253, etc. For example, the usage status information management unit 264 may be configured to input a start time when performing the first update for a certain service user on a certain date, and to input an end time if the start time has already been input.

[0047] The usage fee calculation unit 265 calculates the usage fee for using childcare services outside of specified hours, such as daycare and extended childcare, based on the start time and end time indicated by the usage status information 253, the fee information 251, and the attribute information 252. Then, the usage fee calculation unit 265 updates the usage fee information 254 based on the calculation result.

[0048] For example, the usage fee calculation unit 265 identifies information indicating the usage fee for each predetermined time period, information indicating time periods when no usage fee is charged, and other values ​​required for calculating the usage fee, corresponding to the service user for whom the usage fee is to be calculated, by referring to the fee information 251, the attribute information 252, and the usage status information 253. Then, the usage fee calculation unit 265 calculates the usage fee using the identified various values.

[0049] FIG. 5 shows an example of calculation by the usage fee calculation unit 265. As shown in FIG. 5, the usage fee calculation unit 265 identifies the time during which the childcare service was used outside the time period during which no usage fee was charged by referring to the start time and end time. The usage fee calculation unit 265 then calculates the usage fee for the identified time using the identified time and the information indicated by the fee information 251. For example, assume that the time period during which no usage fee is charged is from 8:00 to 18:00 and the end time on a certain day is 18:43. Furthermore, assume that the fee information 251 indicates 500 yen per hour. In this case, since the childcare service is used outside the specified hours for no more than one hour, the usage fee calculation unit 265 calculates 500 yen as the usage fee. The usage fee calculation unit 265 can perform the above calculation so as not to exceed the upper limit indicated by the fee information 251, etc. Furthermore, if the fee information 251 includes information indicating the usage fee for each specified time period for each applicable time period, the usage fee calculation unit 265 may perform calculation for each applicable time period.

[0050] 6, the time when an event occurs may be included in the time when the childcare service is used outside the time period when no usage fee is charged. In this case, the usage fee calculation unit 265 can add a usage fee according to the corresponding event. In this case, the usage fee calculation unit 265 may perform the above addition after referring to the attribute information 252, etc., to confirm that the corresponding event for the corresponding service user is not subject to free use or has not already been paid. In this case, the usage fee calculation unit 265 can also perform the above calculation so as not to exceed the upper limit indicated by the fee information 251, etc.

[0051] 7, there may be multiple times, such as early morning, when the childcare service is used outside of the time period when no usage fee is charged. In this case, the usage fee calculation unit 265 may perform the same calculation as described above. For example, if there are multiple times when the childcare service is used outside of the time period when no usage fee is charged, the usage fee calculation unit 265 may be configured to calculate the usage fee for each time period and calculate the total amount. In this case, the usage fee calculation unit 265 may perform the calculation so as not to exceed the upper limit indicated by the fee information 251, etc., as in the case described above.

[0052] For example, as described above, the usage fee calculation unit 265 calculates the usage fee for each day according to information indicating the usage status of the childcare service, etc. Furthermore, the usage fee calculation unit 265 can calculate the total amount of usage fees for each month. In this case, the usage fee calculation unit 265 may calculate the total amount of usage fees for each month so as not to exceed the monthly upper limit indicated by the fee information 251, etc. Furthermore, the usage fee calculation unit 265 may perform the above calculation after checking the subsidy, etc. indicated by the attribute information 252, etc. For example, the usage fee calculation unit 265 may be configured to calculate the amount of the total amount of usage fees for each month that exceeds the upper limit of the subsidy.

[0053] The usage fee calculation unit 265 may be configured to calculate the total usage fee for each service user, as well as for each parent, class, age, or other arbitrary attribute of the service user. In this way, the usage fee calculation unit 265 can be configured to calculate any statistical value in addition to the usage fee for each service user.

[0054] The output unit 266 outputs the usage status information 253, the usage fee information 254, etc. The output unit 266 can display the usage status information 253, the usage fee information 254, etc. on the screen display unit 220, or transmit them to an external device via the communication interface unit 230.

[0055] For example, the output unit 266 can output, for each service user, the arrival time and departure time indicated by the usage status information 253, the usage fee and monthly total amount indicated by the usage fee information 254, etc. Furthermore, the output unit 266 may be configured to output list information that allows at least a portion of the above information for multiple service users to be checked at once. The output unit 266 may output each piece of information stored in the storage unit 250 in a form other than the above examples.

[0056] The above is an example of the configuration of the management device 200.

[0057] The authentication device 300 is an information processing device that performs face authentication based on a face image received from the management device 200. Fig. 8 shows an example of the configuration of the authentication device 300. Referring to Fig. 8, the authentication device 300 has, as main components, for example, an operation input unit 310, a screen display unit 320, a communication interface unit 330, a storage unit 340, and an arithmetic processing unit 350.

[0058] 8 illustrates an example in which the functions of authentication device 300 are realized using one information processing device. However, at least some of the functions of authentication device 300 may be realized using multiple information processing devices, for example, on the cloud. Furthermore, authentication device 300 may not include some of the components illustrated above, such as not having operation input unit 310 or screen display unit 320, or may have a component other than those illustrated above.

[0059] The operation input unit 310 , the screen display unit 320 , and the communication interface unit 330 may have the same configuration as the operation input unit 210 , the screen display unit 220 , and the communication interface unit 230 of the management device 200 .

[0060] The storage unit 340 is a storage device such as a hard disk or memory. The storage unit 340 stores processing information and programs 342 required for various processes in the arithmetic processing unit 350. The programs 342 are read into the arithmetic processing unit 350 and executed to realize various processing units. The programs 342 are read in advance from an external device or recording medium via a data input / output function such as the communication interface unit 330, and are stored in the storage unit 340. Main information stored in the storage unit 340 includes, for example, facial image information 341.

[0061] The facial image information 341 includes image data including the face of the service user who is the target of facial authentication. The facial image information 341 is acquired in advance by using a method such as acquiring it from an external device via the communication interface unit 330, and is stored in the storage unit 340.

[0062] For example, information for identifying a service user, such as the name of the service user or any other arbitrary identifier, is associated with image data including the face of the corresponding service user in the facial image information 341. The facial image information 341 may include facial features extracted from the image data instead of the image data.

[0063] The arithmetic processing unit 350 has an arithmetic device such as a CPU and its peripheral circuits. The arithmetic processing unit 350 reads and executes a program 342 from the storage unit 340, thereby causing the above hardware and the program 342 to work together to realize various processing units. Main processing units realized by the arithmetic processing unit 350 include, for example, a face image receiving unit 351, a face authentication unit 352, and an authentication result transmitting unit 353. Note that the arithmetic processing unit 350 may have a GPU or the like instead of the above-mentioned CPU.

[0064] The facial image receiving unit 351 receives a facial image from the management device 200. The facial image receiving unit 351 may receive, together with the facial image, information indicating that the facial image was acquired when the child arrived at the nursery school or information indicating that the facial image was acquired when the child left the nursery school. The facial image receiving unit 351 may also receive, together with the facial image, information indicating the date and time the facial image was acquired.

[0065] The face authentication unit 352 performs face authentication using the face image received by the face image receiving unit 351. The face authentication unit 352 may perform face authentication using a common method. For example, the face authentication unit 352 extracts facial features from the received face image using any means. The face authentication unit 352 may extract facial features using any means, such as extracting features based on the extraction results of any feature points. The face authentication unit 352 also compares the features extracted from the received face image with the features extracted from each image data included in the face image information 341. As a result, the face authentication unit 352 identifies the feature extracted from each image data included in the face image information 341 that is most similar to the feature extracted from the received face image. Then, the face authentication unit 352 acquires information for identifying the service user associated with the image data from which the feature identified in the face image information 341 was extracted. For example, as described above, the facial authentication unit 352 performs facial authentication using the received facial image to identify which of multiple pre-registered service users the service user corresponding to the facial image corresponds to.

[0066] The authentication result transmission unit 353 transmits information for identifying the service user obtained by the facial authentication performed by the facial authentication unit 352 to the management device 200. The authentication result transmission unit 353 may transmit, together with the information for identifying the service user, information indicating whether the facial image subjected to facial authentication was acquired when the user arrived at the nursery school or when the user left the nursery school to the management device 200. The authentication result transmission unit 353 may also transmit, together with the various information described above, information indicating the acquisition time of the facial image used for authentication to the management device 200.

[0067] The above is an example of the configuration of the authentication device 300.

[0068] Next, an example of the operation of the management device 200 will be described with reference to Fig. 9 and Fig. 10. First, an example of the operation of the management device 200 when updating and storing the usage status information 253 will be described with reference to Fig. 9.

[0069] 9, the facial image acquisition unit 261 acquires a facial image, which is image data including the face of the service user. The facial image transmission unit 262 transmits the facial image acquired by the facial image acquisition unit 261 to the authentication device 300 (step S101).

[0070] The authentication result acquisition unit 263 acquires information indicating the result of face authentication performed by the authentication device 300 using the face image transmitted by the face image transmission unit 262 (step S102). For example, the authentication result acquisition unit 263 acquires information for identifying the service user, such as the name of the service user, as the result of face authentication.

[0071] The usage status information management unit 264 manages information indicating the usage status of services such as childcare services (step S103) by updating the usage status information 253 according to the information acquired by the authentication result acquisition unit 263. For example, the usage status information management unit 264 can update the start time and end time in the usage status information 253 according to the information acquired by the authentication result acquisition unit 263.

[0072] For example, the management device 200 can perform the process shown in Fig. 9 for each service user. Next, an example of the operation of the management device 200 when calculating a usage fee will be described with reference to Fig. 10. Note that the process in Fig. 10 may be performed consecutively after the process in Fig. 9, or may be performed independently of the process in Fig. 9.

[0073] 10, the usage fee calculation unit 265 refers to the attribute information 252 to identify information indicating time periods when no usage fee is charged (step S201). The usage fee calculation unit 265 also refers to the start time and end time to identify time periods when the childcare service was used outside of the time periods when no usage fee is charged. The usage fee calculation unit 265 then calculates the usage fee for the identified time period using the identified time period and the information indicated by the fee information 251 (step S202).

[0074] Furthermore, the usage fee calculation unit 265 can calculate the total amount of usage fees for each month (step S203).

[0075] The above is an example of the operation of the management device 200 when calculating the usage fee.

[0076] As described above, management device 200 has usage status information management unit 264 and usage fee calculation unit 265. With this configuration, usage fee calculation unit 265 can calculate a usage fee according to the situation of the service user, etc., based on usage status information 253 managed by usage status information management unit 264 and time periods during which no additional usage fee is charged for use of the service that can be identified based on pre-stored attribute information 252, etc. As a result, the childcare service provider does not need to calculate the usage fee, which reduces the workload of the childcare service provider.

[0077] In addition, the usage fee calculation unit 265 is configured to calculate the usage fee taking into consideration certification, whether or not an event has occurred, the upper limit, the amount of subsidy, etc. With this configuration, the usage fee can be calculated taking into consideration the attributes and circumstances of each service user. As a result, more appropriate calculations can be realized, and the burden on the childcare service provider can be reduced.

[0078] The configuration of the management device 200 is not limited to the example shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 11 shows another example configuration of the management device 200. With reference to Fig. 11, for example, the arithmetic processing unit 260 can implement at least a part of the attendance information generation unit 267, the advance information acquisition unit 268, etc. in addition to the configuration shown in Fig. 2 by reading and executing the program 255 from the storage unit 250.

[0079] The attendance information generation unit 267 generates attendance information that manages the fact of attendance for each service user, etc., in accordance with the usage status information 253 managed by the usage status information management unit 264. For example, as shown in Fig. 12, the attendance information generation unit 267 can add any mark, such as a circle, an animal mark, or an acquired face image, to the corresponding date in a pre-prepared calendar in accordance with the start time input from the usage status information 253 by the usage status information management unit 264. Furthermore, the attendance information generation unit 267 may be configured to add any mark different from the mark added in accordance with the start time in accordance with the input of the end time, etc.

[0080] It is desirable that the attendance information generated by the attendance information generation unit 267 be configured to be viewable by the service user. For example, the attendance information may be configured to be viewable by the service user using any means, such as by displaying it on a terminal device owned by the service user or by printing it. This configuration can motivate service users, such as children, to acquire facial images. The attendance information may also be configured to be viewable not only by the service user but also by the service user's parents or caregivers. In this configuration, for example, information different from the attendance information viewable by the service user may be associated with the attendance information viewable by parents, etc. For example, the attendance information generation unit 267 may be configured to associate dates in the attendance information viewed by parents, etc. with the usage fees for the corresponding dates included in the usage fee information 254.

[0081] The advance information acquisition unit 268 acquires information indicating the usage fee required when using the service outside of the specified hours, information indicating the conditions thereof, information required when specifying the time period when no additional usage fee is charged for using the service, information indicating the range of free use, etc. The advance information acquisition unit 268 also stores each piece of acquired information in the storage unit 250 as fee information 251 and attribute information 252.

[0082] Note that, when service users have a predetermined relationship, such as siblings, it is expected that roughly the same information will be stored for the related service users in attribute information 252, etc. Therefore, when the prior information acquisition unit 268 acquires information about one of the service users having a predetermined relationship, it may be configured to consider that similar information has been acquired for the other related service users, depending on the information indicating the relationship, such as siblings. In this case, the prior information acquisition unit 268 may be configured to update attribute information 252, etc., depending on the assumed information, and to output to an external device, etc., a message indicating that the updated content needs to be confirmed.

[0083] In the present disclosure, a case has been described in which the management system 100 is configured from a management device 200 such as a tablet terminal and an authentication device 300 with reference to Fig. 1. However, the configuration of the management system 100 is not limited to the example shown in Fig. 1. For example, as shown in Fig. 13, the management system 100 may include an imaging device 400 communicably connected to the management device 200.

[0084] The imaging device 400 is a camera or the like that captures a facial image when performing facial authentication to open and close an entrance gate to a facility that provides childcare services. In this way, if the childcare service provider has already performed facial authentication when opening and closing an entrance gate or at any other arbitrary timing, the management device 200 may be configured to manage the usage status information 253 and the like using the results of the facial authentication that has already been performed. In such a configuration, the management device 200 does not need to have the function of the imaging unit 240 or the like.

[0085] Furthermore, in the present disclosure, an example has been given in which the usage status information 253 is managed using the results of facial authentication. However, the usage status information 253 does not necessarily have to be managed using facial authentication; for example, the usage status information 253 may be managed by holding up an IC (integrated circuit) card or any two-dimensional code when entering or leaving the kindergarten. In other words, the management system 100 may be configured to manage the start time and end time using any means other than facial authentication. Note that when an IC card or two-dimensional code is used, there is a risk of unauthorized use by lending or borrowing an IC card. Therefore, management using facial authentication allows for more appropriate management of the usage status information 253 and calculation of usage fees than when an IC card or the like is used.

[0086] [Second embodiment] Next, a second embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to Fig. 14 to Fig. 16. Fig. 14 is a diagram illustrating an example of the hardware configuration of a management device 500. Fig. 15 is a block diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of the management device 500. Fig. 16 is a flowchart illustrating an example of the operation of the management device 500.

[0087] In the second embodiment of the present disclosure, a management device 500 will be described, which is an information processing device that calculates a usage fee when using a childcare service outside of specified hours, in accordance with information indicating the usage status of the service. Fig. 14 shows an example of the hardware configuration of the management device 500. Referring to Fig. 14, the management device 500 has, as an example, the following hardware configuration. ·CPU (Central Processing Unit) 501 (computing unit) ROM (Read Only Memory) 502 (storage device) RAM (Random Access Memory) 503 (storage device) Programs 504 loaded into RAM 503 A storage device 505 for storing a group of programs 504 A drive device 506 that reads and writes data from a recording medium 510 outside the information processing device A communication interface 507 for connecting to a communication network 511 outside the information processing device Input / output interface 508 for inputting and outputting data Bus 509 connecting each component

[0088] 15 by the CPU 501 acquiring and executing the program group 504. The program group 504 is stored in advance in the storage device 505 or the ROM 502, for example, and is loaded into the RAM 503 or the like by the CPU 501 for execution as needed. The program group 504 may be supplied to the CPU 501 via the communication network 511, or may be stored in advance in the recording medium 510, and the drive device 506 may read out the program and supply it to the CPU 501.

[0089] 14 shows an example of the hardware configuration of the management device 500. The hardware configuration of the management device 500 is not limited to the above-described case. For example, the management device 500 may be configured with only a part of the above-described configuration, such as excluding the drive device 506. Furthermore, the CPU 501 may be a GPU or the like exemplified in the first embodiment.

[0090] The management unit 521 acquires and manages information indicating the usage status of the childcare service. For example, the management unit 521 can acquire and manage information indicating the usage status of the childcare service, such as the start time according to the service user's arrival at the nursery school and the end time according to the service user's departure from the nursery school, based on the result of face recognition performed on a face image, which is image data including the face of the service user. The management unit 521 may acquire and manage information indicating the usage status of the childcare service using a method other than face recognition.

[0091] The output unit 522 outputs information indicating a usage fee according to the result of using the childcare service outside of the specified hours, which is calculated according to the information managed by the management unit 521. For example, the output unit 522 may output the usage fee for each service user.

[0092] The above is an example of the configuration of the management device 500. Next, an example of the operation of the management device 500 will be described with reference to FIG.

[0093] Fig. 16 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of management device 500. Referring to Fig. 16, management unit 521 acquires and manages information indicating the usage status of childcare services (step S301).

[0094] The output unit 522 outputs information indicating the usage fee according to the result of using the childcare service outside of the predetermined hours, which is calculated according to the information managed by the management unit 521 (step S302).

[0095] The above is an example of the operation of the management device 500. Note that the process of step S301 and the process of step S302 do not necessarily have to be performed consecutively.

[0096] As described above, management device 500 has management unit 521 and output unit 522. With this configuration, output unit 522 can output information indicating the usage fee according to the result of using childcare services outside of specified hours, which is calculated according to the information managed by management unit 521. As a result, the childcare service provider does not need to calculate the usage fee, and the effort required to provide childcare services can be reduced.

[0097] The management device 500 can be realized by incorporating a predetermined program into an information processing device such as the management device 500. Specifically, the program according to another aspect of the present invention is a program for realizing a process in an information processing device such as the management device 500 to acquire and manage information indicating the usage status of childcare services, and output information indicating a usage fee according to the results of using childcare services outside of specified hours, the fee being calculated according to the managed information.

[0098] In addition, the management method executed by an information processing device such as the above-mentioned management device 500 is a method in which the information processing device acquires and manages information indicating the usage status of childcare services, and outputs information indicating the usage fee based on the results of using childcare services outside of specified hours, which is calculated based on the managed information.

[0099] Even if the invention is a program having the above-described configuration, or a computer-readable recording medium having the program recorded thereon, or a management method, it can achieve the same functions and effects as the above-described management device 500, and therefore can achieve the above-described objective of the present disclosure.

[0100] <Additional Notes> A part or all of the above-described embodiments can be described as follows: The management device and the like of the present invention will be outlined below. However, the present invention is not limited to the following configuration.

[0101] (Appendix 1) a management unit that acquires and manages information indicating the usage status of childcare services; an output unit that outputs information indicating a usage fee according to the result of using the childcare service outside of the specified hours, the usage fee being calculated according to the information managed by the management unit; have Management device. (Appendix 2) a calculation unit that calculates the usage fee according to information managed by the management unit and a time period during which the usage fee is not charged for use of the childcare service, the time period being specified according to information stored in advance; The output unit outputs the result calculated by the calculation unit. 2. The management device of claim 1. (Appendix 3) The calculation unit identifies a time period during which no usage fee is charged for each service user to be calculated, and calculates the usage fee for each service user according to the information managed by the management unit and the identified time period during which no usage fee is charged. 3. The management device of claim 2. (Appendix 4) The calculation unit is configured to calculate the usage fee for each day on which the childcare service is used, and calculates the usage fee for each day so that it does not exceed a predetermined upper limit. 10. The management device according to claim 1, wherein the management device is a device for managing a plurality of data streams. (Appendix 5) The calculation unit identifies a time when the childcare service was used outside the time period when no fee is charged, based on the information managed by the management unit and the time period when no fee is charged for using the childcare service, and calculates the fee based on the identified time. 5. The management device according to claim 1, wherein the management device is a device for managing a plurality of data streams. (Appendix 6) When the specified time includes a time when a predetermined event occurs, the calculation unit adds the usage fee according to the corresponding event. 6. The management device of claim 5. (Appendix 7) a generation unit that generates attendance information for managing attendance records for each service user by adding a predetermined mark to a corresponding calendar in accordance with the information managed by the management unit; The output unit outputs information in which the calendar date included in the attendance information is associated with the usage fee. 8. The management device according to claim 1, wherein the management device is a device for managing a plurality of data streams. (Appendix 8) The management unit acquires and manages information indicating the usage status of the childcare service in accordance with the result of face authentication performed on a face image, which is image data including the face of the service user. 8. The management device according to claim 1, wherein the management device is a device for managing a plurality of data streams. (Appendix 9) The information processing device Acquire and manage information showing the usage status of childcare services, Output information indicating the usage fee according to the result of using childcare services outside of designated hours, calculated according to the managed information. Management method. (Appendix 10) In the information processing device, Acquire and manage information showing the usage status of childcare services, Output information indicating the usage fee according to the result of using childcare services outside of designated hours, calculated according to the managed information. A program to realize the processing.

[0102] Note that some or all of the configurations described in Supplementary Notes 2 to 8 that are dependent on the management device described in Supplementary Note 1 may also be dependent in a similar dependent relationship on the management method described in Supplementary Note 9 and the program described in Supplementary Note 10. Furthermore, not limited to Supplementary Notes 9 and 10, some or all of the configurations described as Supplements may also be dependent on various hardware, software, various recording means for recording software, or systems within the scope of the above-described embodiments.

[0103] The programs described in the above embodiments and appendices may be stored in a storage device or a computer-readable recording medium, such as a portable medium such as a flexible disk, an optical disk, a magneto-optical disk, or a semiconductor memory.

[0104] Although the present invention has been described above with reference to the above-mentioned embodiments, the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiments. Various modifications that can be understood by those skilled in the art can be made to the configuration and details of the present invention within the scope of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0105] 100 Management Systems 200 Management device 210 Operation input section 220 Screen display section 230 Communication interface unit 240 Imaging unit 250 Storage section 251 Pricing Information 252 Attribute information 253 Usage Information 254 Usage fee information 255 programs 260 Processing Unit 261 Facial image acquisition unit 262 Facial image transmission unit 263 Authentication result acquisition unit 264 Usage Information Management Department 265 Usage Fee Calculation Department 266 Output Section 267 Attendance information generation section 268 Advance Information Acquisition Department 300 Authentication Device 310 Operation input section 320 Screen display section 330 Communication Interface Unit 340 Storage section 341 Facial Image Information 342 Programs 350 Processing Unit 351 Facial image receiving unit 352 Face Recognition Unit 353 Authentication result transmission unit 400 Imaging device 500 Management device 501 CPU 502 ROM 503 RAM 504 Programs 505 Storage device 506 Drive unit 507 Communication Interface 508 Input / Output Interface 509 Bus 510 Recording media 511 Communication Network 521 Management Department 522 Output section

Claims

1. a management unit that acquires and manages information indicating the usage status of childcare services; an output unit that outputs information indicating a usage fee according to the result of using the childcare service outside of the specified hours, the usage fee being calculated according to the information managed by the management unit; have Management device.

2. a calculation unit that calculates the usage fee according to information managed by the management unit and a time period during which the usage fee is not charged for use of the childcare service, the time period being specified according to information stored in advance; The output unit outputs the result calculated by the calculation unit. The management device according to claim 1 .

3. The calculation unit identifies a time period during which no usage fee is charged for each service user to be calculated, and calculates the usage fee for each service user according to the information managed by the management unit and the identified time period during which no usage fee is charged. The management device according to claim 2 .

4. The calculation unit is configured to calculate the usage fee for each day on which the childcare service is used, and calculates the usage fee for each day so that it does not exceed a predetermined upper limit. The management device according to claim 1 .

5. The calculation unit identifies a time when the childcare service was used outside the time period when no fee is charged, based on the information managed by the management unit and the time period when no fee is charged for using the childcare service, and calculates the fee based on the identified time. The management device according to claim 1 .

6. When the specified time includes a time when a predetermined event occurs, the calculation unit adds the usage fee according to the corresponding event. The management device according to claim 5 .

7. a generation unit that generates attendance information for managing attendance records for each service user by adding a predetermined mark to a corresponding calendar in accordance with the information managed by the management unit; The output unit outputs information in which the calendar date included in the attendance information is associated with the usage fee. The management device according to claim 1 .

8. The management unit acquires and manages information indicating the usage status of the childcare service in accordance with the result of face authentication performed on a face image, which is image data including the face of the service user. The management device according to claim 1 .

9. The information processing device Acquire and manage information showing the usage status of childcare services, Output information indicating the usage fee according to the result of using childcare services outside of designated hours, calculated according to the managed information. Management method.

10. In the information processing device, Acquire and manage information showing the usage status of childcare services, Output information indicating the usage fee according to the result of using childcare services outside of designated hours, calculated according to the managed information. A program to realize the processing.

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