Caretaker business assistance method and caretaker business assistance system in apartment house

Abstract

To handle a part of caretaker business such as claim reception from a resident.SOLUTION: Enquiries as to management of an apartment house are presented through a voice or a video to elevator users (residents) from a speaker or a display installed in a car or at a landing of an elevator. Answers to the enquiries from the elevator users are collected through microphones, and collected requests are analyzed by a computer to be sorted and classified. Then, the computer returns replies corresponding to the analyzed answers as voice or character information through the speaker or the display to the elevator users (residents).SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] An embodiment of the present invention relates to a method and system for supporting a manager's work in an apartment building. [Background technology]

[0002] In shared housing such as condominiums and apartments, the caretaker is responsible for cleaning, changing fixtures, etc. In addition to this, the caretaker's duties are wide-ranging, including responding to complaints from residents.

[0003] On the other hand, many apartment buildings have elevators.

[0004] Conventionally, there is a technology that allows users to report elevator malfunctions or complaints by key operation or voice input from a dedicated terminal installed at the elevator hall. There is also a technology that allows elevator users to obtain elevator operation information such as the number of passengers that can ride in the car and the operating status by speaking into a microphone installed at the elevator hall. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2009-190874 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2016-008132 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] Conventional technology is limited to applications such as reporting elevator malfunctions and inquiring about elevator operation information.

[0007] However, in recent years, the work of apartment complex managers has become more complicated, and the compensation they receive is not commensurate with the work they receive, leading to a labor shortage. With labor shortages becoming more serious in various sectors, it is necessary to reduce the burden of apartment complex manager work.

[0008] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a method and system for supporting managerial duties in apartment buildings that enable the manager to take on part of the managerial duties, such as accepting complaints from residents. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] One embodiment for achieving the above object is a management method for an apartment building equipped with an elevator. Questions about the management of the apartment building are presented to elevator users via audio or video from a speaker or display device installed in the elevator car or at the landing. Responses from the elevator users to the questions are collected via a microphone, and the collected requests are analyzed and classified by a computer. The computer then returns a response based on the analyzed responses to the elevator users via the speaker or display device as audio or text information. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] 1 is a configuration diagram of a manager business support system to which a first embodiment and a second embodiment of the present invention are applied. [Figure 2] 1 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of a manager business support system to which the first and second embodiments are applied. [Figure 3] 3 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure according to the first embodiment. [Figure 4] 1 is a configuration diagram of an elevator to which an embodiment is applied. [Figure 5] 10 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure according to a second embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a conversation that can be answered immediately. [Figure 7]FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a conversation in which an immediate response is not possible but an answer is given without identifying an individual. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a conversation in which an immediate reply is not possible but an answer is given by identifying an individual. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a configuration diagram of a manager business support system to which a second embodiment is applied. [Figure 10] FIG. 11 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of a manager business support system to which a third embodiment is applied. [Figure 11] 10 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure according to a third embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] First Embodiment FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a caretaker operation support system according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, a car 1 is equipped with an in-car speaker 3, an in-car display device 4, an in-car microphone 5, and an in-car camera 6. The in-car speaker 3, the in-car display device 4, the in-car microphone 5, and the in-car camera 6 are connected to an information processing device 7 via a network. The information processing device 7 is connected to and managed by an elevator control device 8 (see FIG. 4). In the figure, 2 denotes a resident (elevator user). Here, the resident and the elevator user are considered to be the same entity, and in the following description, they will be referred to as either elevator user 2 or resident 2 as appropriate.

[0012] The information processing device 7 is composed of a personal computer or the like equipped with AI (artificial intelligence), and as shown in Figure 2, it has an operation information input unit 71, a question presentation unit 72, an answer analysis unit 73, an answer storage unit 74, a response unit 75, and a resident identification unit 76.

[0013] The operation information input unit 71 inputs operation information from the elevator control device 8, such as whether or not a resident (elevator user) 2 has boarded the car 1.

[0014] When an elevator user 2 gets into the car 1, the question presentation unit 72 presents the elevator user 2 with a question such as "Do you have any problems or requests regarding your daily life in the apartment building?"

[0015] The answer analysis unit 73 inputs and analyzes answers from the resident 2 to the questions presented by the question presentation unit 72. An AI function is used for the analysis.

[0016] The answer storage unit 74 classifies and stores answers from the elevator users 2.

[0017] The replying unit 75 returns a reply to the resident 2 according to the question based on the content analyzed by the reply analyzing unit 73.

[0018] The resident identification unit 76 identifies the resident 2 using the elevator from the camera image of the car interior camera 6.

[0019] FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the process flow of the method and system for supporting a manager's work in an apartment building according to the first embodiment.

[0020] When the operation information input unit 71 detects from information from the elevator control device 8 that a resident 2 has boarded the car 1 (S1), the question presentation unit 72 asks the resident 2 questions about problems, requests, etc. regarding the apartment complex through the in-car speaker 3 (S2). The resident 2 can respond using the in-car microphone 5.

[0021] The response analysis unit 73 of the information processing device 7 determines whether a response has been received from the resident 2 (S3). If no response has been received, the operation ends at that point. If a response has been received, the content of the response is recorded and saved in the response storage unit 74 (S4). The information analysis unit 73 determines the content of the received response (S5) and classifies the response information according to its content (S6). This classification includes, for example, a response that can be answered immediately, such as when a user is asked what day of the week the trash is taken out in an apartment building, a response that cannot be answered immediately (such as when a light in a common area of ​​a building is out and needs to be replaced), and a response that requires a specific individual, such as when a neighbor's noise is too loud and a request for attention. Based on this classification, the system determines whether the received response can be answered immediately (S7). If an immediate solution and response are possible, the response unit 75 responds to the resident 2 using the in-car speaker 3 or the in-car display device 4 (S8). If the problem cannot be solved or responded to immediately, first it is determined whether the response obtained is one that should be responded to a specific individual (S9), and if a response should be sent to a specific individual, the in-car camera 6 is used to identify the resident 2 (S10), and a response is sent later when the same resident 2 boards the car (S11).If a response does not need to be sent to a specific individual, it is also possible to respond to all resident residents, for example (S12).

[0022] In addition, when displaying the collected opinions on the in-car display device 4, the responses from residents to questions from the system within a certain period of time are compiled by the information processing device 7, and then the contents are displayed using the in-car display device 4, etc., so that the residents 2 can be informed of what opinions are most prevalent.

[0023] Responses from resident 2 are tallied over a fixed period, such as one month, and the most common responses are displayed on the in-car display device 4, etc., making it possible to publicize which opinions were most common. This reduces the number of times that duplicate responses from resident 2 are sent to the system, and by publicizing the most common complaints, it is possible to warn other resident 2 and prevent problems from occurring.

[0024] Additionally, accepting complaints from Resident 2 is a task that places a great burden on the manager, as it requires immediate response. By using the elevator system to accept and respond to problems and suggestions within the apartment complex, it is expected that the mental burden on the manager will be reduced.

[0025] Furthermore, further improvements can be made by utilizing AI, whose accuracy has been rapidly improving in recent years, to automatically generate responses to complaints. For example, if a question is asked from in-car speaker 3 to resident 2 aboard elevator car 1 and the resident replies, "The light in the common area was out," the system will automatically respond using AI to acknowledge receipt of the complaint and, if possible, to replace the light immediately, or, if not, to respond at a later date. This eliminates the need for the manager to receive the complaint directly from resident 2 at a counter or other location. Furthermore, resident 2 can input responses via voice using in-car microphone 5, and the elevator's responses can be output as voice or text via in-car speaker 3 or in-car display 4.

[0026] This makes it possible to use this system to disseminate information to, for example, a hearing-impaired resident 2. In addition, in the case where a response is received from resident 2 as in this case, such as "the light in the common area was out," by identifying the resident 2 who responded using the in-car camera 6, etc., after the light has been replaced, a response can be automatically sent to the resident 2 who reported the response that the light has been replaced the next time that the resident 2 uses the elevator.

[0027] Second Embodiment 4 and 5 show a second embodiment of the present invention. In the second embodiment, a system cooperates with a management robot 9 to respond to requests from a resident 2. The system configuration is the same as that shown in FIG.

[0028] FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the processing procedure of the second embodiment, in which a processing flow corresponding to the management robot 9 is added to the processing of FIG.

[0029] When resident 2 gets into car 1 and it is determined that the response received from the resident in response to the question from the system is related to building management (S13), the response analysis unit 73 of the information processing device 7 communicates with the management server (not shown) that manages the management robot 9 via the response unit 75, and can respond to the request from resident 2 (S14). For example, if resident 2 responds that the light in the common area on the third floor is out, the information processing device 7 can instruct the robot management server of the management robot 9 to change the light, and the response can be handled without the intervention of a manager.

[0030] In this way, in the second embodiment, by working in cooperation with a management robot 9 for maintenance of apartment buildings, it is possible to handle tasks that would normally be performed by a manager, such as replacing fixtures in specific locations and cleaning specific locations, fully automatically through the management robot 9, based on problems and requests collected in the elevator and stored in the response storage unit 74, without the need for a manager.

[0031] <Example conversation> Here, an example of a question from the elevator and a conversation with an elevator user will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0032] Figure 6 shows an example of a conversation that can be answered immediately. As shown in Figure 6, if the elevator asks (greets) "Are there any problems with this elevator, your daily life, the building, or your room?" and User A responds by saying "When is the next collection day for non-burnable garbage?", the elevator can immediately reply "It's on XX day of XX month."

[0033] Figure 7 shows an example of a conversation in which an immediate response is not possible, but an answer is given without identifying the individual. As shown in Figure 7, suppose the elevator asks (greets) "Are there any problems with this elevator, your daily life, the building, or your room?", to which User A replies "The light in the common area on the third floor was out." In this case, the answer would be "Thank you for your opinion. We will let you know once we have completed the process," without identifying the individual.

[0034] Then, at a later date, when User A gets on the elevator, the system responds, "We would like to inform you that the replacement of the lights in the common area on the third floor, which you complained about the other day, has been completed." This response does not have to be a voice response, but can be a text response on a display device.

[0035] Figure 8 shows an example of a conversation in which an immediate response is not possible, but an individual can be identified and responded to. As shown in Figure 8, suppose the elevator asks (greets) "Are there any problems with this elevator, your daily life, the building, or your room?", to which User A replies, "Person B in the room next to mine is noisy, even late at night."

[0036] In this case, the elevator responds by saying, "Thank you for your feedback. We will issue a warning."

[0037] Then, at a later date, when User B gets on the elevator, the system can smoothly resolve the dispute between residents by outputting a request that reads, "Recently, we have received many complaints from elevator users about noise late at night. We appreciate your understanding and cooperation so that all residents can enjoy their stay."

[0038] Third Embodiment 9 to 11 show a third embodiment of the present invention. In the first and second embodiments, a managerial work support system was described in which an in-car speaker 3, an in-car display device 4, an in-car microphone 5, and an in-car camera 6 are installed on the elevator car 1 side. In the third embodiment, as shown in Figs. 9 and 10, an elevator hall is configured to include a hall-side speaker 13, a hall-side display device 14, a hall-side microphone 15, and a hall-side camera 16.

[0039] FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing the processing procedure of the third embodiment.

[0040] When a resident 2 registers an elevator call at the elevator hall (S17), the question presentation unit 72 asks the resident 2 about problems, requests, etc., related to the apartment complex through the hall-side speaker 16 (S18). The resident 2 can respond using the hall-side microphone 15. The response analysis unit 73 of the information processing device 7 determines whether a response has been received from the resident 2 (S19). If no response has been received, the operation ends at that point. If a response has been received, the content of the response is recorded and saved in the response saving unit 74 (S20). The response analysis unit 73 determines the content of the received response (S21) and classifies the response information according to the content, similar to the system in the car (S22). Based on the classification, the response analysis unit 73 determines whether the received response can be immediately resolved or responded to (S23). If it can be immediately resolved or responded to, the resident 2 is given a response using the hall-side speaker 13 or the hall-side display device 14 (S24). If the question cannot be resolved or responded to immediately, first it is determined whether the answer obtained should be responded to a specific individual (S25), and if so, the landing camera 16 is used to identify the resident 2 (S26), and a response is sent to the same resident 2 at a later date (S27). If a response to a specific individual is not required, it is also possible to respond to all residents, for example (S28). This makes it possible to collect opinions even while waiting for the elevator.

[0041] Furthermore, if various devices (speakers 3, 13, display devices 4, 14, microphones 5, 15, cameras 6, 16) are configured to be installed both inside the car and at the platform, interactions that begin at the platform can be continued after boarding the car.

[0042] <Effects of the embodiment> The above embodiments provide the following advantages.

[0043] Using elevators, residents can collect information about problems and requests they have about their daily lives in apartment buildings, and the collected information can be classified and organized using AI. This will help reduce the burden on managers, who handle complaints at the front desk and organize information obtained from residents, by identifying individuals using cameras inside the elevators and responding on the spot or at a later date.

[0044] Furthermore, by identifying individuals and understanding who the resident is, it is possible to distinguish between residents and visitors, and to make the decision to question residents but not visitors. If suspicious visitors can be identified, they can be spoken to or automatically reported to the management department, which can also help prevent crime.

[0045] Furthermore, by using this system to identify individuals, continuous conversations such as casual chats between the elevator and the individual will become possible. Rather than constantly asking about problems or requests, it would be possible to communicate with residents through conversations such as, "Is the weather nice today?", understand their hobbies and lifestyles, and share this information with other residents, which could help improve communication within apartment complexes. It would also be possible to exclude unwanted residents.

[0046] Although several embodiments of the present invention have been described above, these embodiments are presented as examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These novel embodiments can be embodied in various other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. These embodiments and their modifications are included within the scope and spirit of the invention, and are also included in the scope of the invention and its equivalents as defined in the claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0047] 1...car, 2...elevator user (resident), 3...in-car speaker, 4...in-car display device, 5...in-car microphone, 6...in-car camera, 7...information processing device, 71...operation information input unit, 72...question presentation unit, 73...answer analysis unit, 74...answer storage unit, 75...response unit, 76...resident identification unit, 8... elevator control device, 9... management robot, 13... landing side speaker, 14... landing side display device, 15... landing side microphone, 16... landing side camera

Claims

1. A method for supporting a caretaker's work in an apartment building where an elevator is installed, comprising: a speaker or a display device installed in the elevator car or at the landing presents questions regarding the management of the apartment complex to elevator users by voice or video; collecting answers from the elevator user regarding the questions using a microphone; The collected requests are analyzed and classified by computer, The computer returns a response to the elevator user in accordance with the analyzed answer as voice information or text information via the speaker or display device, in accordance with the method for supporting a manager's work in an apartment building.

2. Recognizing whether the elevator user is a specific individual from an image captured by a camera installed in the elevator or the hall; If the analyzed answer is something that can be answered immediately, the elevator user is answered on the spot, 2. A method for supporting caretaker work in an apartment building as described in claim 1, wherein if the analyzed request is one that cannot be answered immediately and should be answered to a specific individual, the specific individual will answer when they use the elevator later, and if the request is not made by a specific individual, a reply will be sent to the elevator user stating that a reply will be made at a later date.

3. If the analyzed answer is something that can be answered immediately, the elevator user is answered on the spot, A method for supporting caretaker work in an apartment complex as described in claim 1, wherein if the analyzed request cannot be answered immediately but can be handled by a maintenance management robot, the management robot is instructed to come up with a solution to the response, and if the management robot cannot handle the request, the management department of the apartment complex is notified of the content.

4. 3. The method for supporting a caretaker's work in an apartment building according to claim 2, wherein if the analyzed request is a response from a specific individual or a specific group, a personalized response is provided for the specific individual or group.

5. 2. The method for supporting caretaker operations in an apartment building according to claim 1, wherein responses obtained from the elevator users are tallied over a certain period of time, and the responses obtained with the most number of responses are displayed on the display device.

6. The system comprises a speaker, a display device, and a camera installed in an elevator car or at a landing, and a personal computer connected to the speaker, the display device, and the camera, 6. A system for supporting managerial work in an apartment building, which causes the personal computer to execute the method for supporting managerial work in an apartment building according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

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