Delivery system

Abstract

To provide a delivery system capable of reducing the number of visits to a multiple dwelling house while appropriately managing delivery business.SOLUTION: The invention relates to a delivery system (1). Deliverer 2 includes a first computer CP1 that manages package 3, and deliverer 4 that delivers package 3 to housing complex 8. The apartment house 8 includes a delivery management section 10 that receives the package 3 from the deliverer 4 and manages the package 3 until the resident 9a of the dwelling unit 9 receives the package 3. The delivery management section 10 includes a second computer CP2 that manages information on the received package 3. In a first delivery process S1 where a deliverer 4 delivers cargoes 3 to a delivery management section 10, the deliverer 4 collectively delivers the cargoes 3 to a plurality of dwelling units 9 to the delivery management section 10. The fact that the package 3 has been delivered and the detailed information of the package 3 are stored in each of the first computer CP1 and the second computer CP2.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a delivery system. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, with the spread of online shopping, the volume of packages delivered to homes by delivery companies has increased, resulting in a significant labor shortage in the logistics industry. This has led to a demand for increased efficiency in delivery operations. In particular, since redelivery of packages to ordinary residences when the resident is not at home requires a great deal of effort, there is a strong demand for reducing redelivery (see, for example, Patent Document 1 below). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2020-187521 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In the case of apartment buildings and other multi-unit housing, the desired delivery time for each resident may differ, and the delivery person may visit a single apartment building multiple times a day. Furthermore, if a redelivery is required because a resident is not at home, the delivery person's visits to the apartment building may increase even more.

[0005] From the perspective of improving the efficiency of delivery operations, one possible way to reduce the number of visits a delivery person makes to a single apartment building is to have the manager of the apartment building accept all the packages at once. However, with this method, the delivery entity changes midway, making it difficult to properly manage delivery operations, and this can lead to problems such as not being able to investigate the cause of a delivery accident, such as a package not being delivered.

[0006] The present invention was devised in consideration of the above-mentioned circumstances, and its main objective is to provide a delivery system that can reduce the number of visits to apartment buildings while properly managing delivery operations. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The present invention is a system for delivering packages from a delivery company to multiple dwelling units in a single apartment building, wherein the delivery company includes a first computer that manages the packages and a deliverer that delivers the packages to the apartment building, the apartment building includes a delivery management section that accepts the packages from the deliverer and manages the process until the residents of the units receive the packages, the delivery management section includes a second computer that manages the accepted packages, and in a first delivery process in which the deliverer delivers the packages to the delivery management section, the deliverer delivers the packages for the multiple dwelling units all at once to the delivery management section, and the fact that the packages have been delivered and detailed information about the delivered packages are stored in each of the first computer and the second computer.

[0008] In the delivery system of the present invention, the detailed information preferably includes the number of packages, the size of each of the packages, and the delivery destination of each of the packages.

[0009] In the delivery system of the present invention, it is desirable that the delivery management section includes a storage room where the packages can be temporarily stored and a manager who manages the storage room, and that the delivery person delivers the packages all at once to the storage room and then stores the detailed information in the first computer, and that the manager checks whether the contents of the packages delivered to the storage room match the detailed information stored in the first computer, and then stores the detailed information in the second computer.

[0010] In the delivery system of the present invention, it is preferable that the manager photographs each of the packages during the verification and saves the image data in the second computer.

[0011] In the delivery system of the present invention, in the second delivery process in which the packages delivered to the delivery management section are received by the residents of the multiple dwelling units, it is desirable for the manager to deliver the packages to each of the multiple dwelling units.

[0012] In the delivery system of the present invention, it is preferable that the caretaker uses a wearable camera to capture images of the situation when the package is delivered to the dwelling unit, and store the captured image data in the second computer.

[0013] In the delivery system of the present invention, in the second delivery process in which the packages delivered to the delivery management section are received by the residents of the multiple dwelling units, it is desirable that the second computer transmits information to a terminal owned by the resident that the packages have been delivered to the storage room, thereby encouraging the resident to receive the packages at the storage room.

[0014] In the delivery system of the present invention, the delivery management section includes a delivery box in which multiple packages with different delivery destinations can be stored individually, and in the first delivery step, it is desirable that the delivery person stores the packages in the delivery box according to their delivery destinations.

[0015] In the second delivery process in which the packages delivered to the delivery management section of the delivery system of the present invention are received by the residents of the multiple dwelling units, it is desirable that the second computer transmits information that the packages have been stored in the delivery box to a terminal owned by the corresponding resident, thereby prompting the resident to receive the packages from the delivery box.

[0016] In the delivery system of the present invention, it is desirable that the first computer transmits information regarding the number of packages scheduled for delivery and the size of each of the packages to the second computer before the first delivery process, and that if the capacity of the delivery box is insufficient for the packages scheduled for delivery, the second computer replies to that effect to the first computer.

[0017] In the delivery system of the present invention, it is desirable that the resident can choose from four modes of receiving the package: normal delivery, in which the manager delivers the package to the front door of the dwelling unit and the resident picks it up directly; drop-off delivery, in which the manager leaves the package in front of the front door of the dwelling unit and the resident then picks it up; box delivery, in which the manager stores the package in a delivery box and the resident picks it up from the delivery box; and other delivery, which is a delivery mode other than normal delivery, drop-off delivery, and box delivery.

[0018] In the delivery system of the present invention, in the second delivery process in which the packages delivered to the delivery management section are received by the residents of the multiple dwelling units, it is desirable that the second computer transmits information to the terminals owned by the residents that the packages have been delivered, along with the receiving method selected by the resident.

[0019] In the delivery system of the present invention, it is desirable that the second computer transmits the information to the resident via a customer management system owned by a management company that manages the apartment complex. [Effects of the Invention]

[0020] By adopting the above-mentioned features of the invention, the delivery system of the present invention can reduce the number of visits to apartment complexes while properly managing delivery operations. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0021] [Figure 1]FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing delivery companies and their delivery destinations. [Figure 2] 1 is a schematic diagram showing a delivery system of the present embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the relationship between computers used in the delivery system of the present embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing various steps of the delivery system of the present embodiment. [Figure 5] 10 is a flowchart of a first delivery step of the present embodiment. [Figure 6] 10 is a flowchart of a preliminary process according to the present embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a perspective view conceptually showing the delivery management section of the present embodiment. [Figure 8] 10 is a flowchart of a second delivery process according to the present embodiment. [Figure 9] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an example of a delivery box. [Figure 10] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an outline of a demonstration example. [Figure 11] This is a flow diagram showing the actions of the delivery person, caretaker, and resident in the demonstration example. [Figure 12] 10 is an example of a management screen of a delivery management app. [Figure 13] 10 is an example of a screen of a delivery management app displayed on a mobile device carried by a manager. [Figure 14] This is an example of a screen from a delivery management app as an example of improvements based on a demonstration example. [Figure 15] This is an example of a screen from a delivery management app as an example of improvements based on a demonstration example. [Figure 16] This is an example of a screen from a delivery management app as an example of improvements based on a demonstration example. [Figure 17] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the relationship between the delivery management app of the demonstration example and a conventional customer management system. [Figure 18] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing an example of improvement from the demonstration example. [Figure 19] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the placement of follow-up personnel. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0022] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The drawings are intended to include the features of the present invention, and the same or common elements are designated by the same reference numerals throughout the embodiments. Furthermore, well-known structures may be used as appropriate for structures not described in this specification.

[0023] FIG. 1 shows a schematic diagram of a delivery company 2 and its delivery destinations. As shown in FIG. 1, the delivery company 2 has an office 2a in each region. One office 2a collects packages 3 sent from offices in other regions. The collected packages 3 are delivered by a delivery person 4 to homes, businesses, factories, stores, etc. in the region covered by the office 2a. However, the delivery company 2 in this specification is not limited to a business entity that specializes in such delivery work. The delivery company 2 in this specification also includes, for example, a business division owned by a company that specializes in the retail of furniture, home appliances, etc., that delivers products sold by that company.

[0024] For example, when a delivery company 2 delivers to a company's factory 5 or store 6, there is always someone on-site to receive the package, so when a delivery person 4 visits to make the delivery, the package 3 is almost guaranteed to be received. However, in the case of an ordinary residence 7, redelivery may be necessary if the resident is not at home. In recent years, with the spread of online shopping, the number of packages delivered to residences 7 has increased, and there is a strong demand to reduce redelivery.

[0025] In particular, in the case of apartment buildings or other multi-unit dwellings 8, the desired delivery time for packages may differ depending on the resident, and the delivery person 4 may visit one apartment building multiple times in one day. Furthermore, if a redelivery is required because a resident is not at home, the number of visits by the delivery person 4 to the apartment building 8 will increase even more. For this reason, there has been a need to reduce the number of visits to apartment buildings 8 in order to improve the efficiency of delivery operations.

[0026] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a delivery system 1 of this embodiment. The delivery system 1 of this embodiment is a system for delivering packages 3 from a delivery company 2 to multiple dwelling units 9 included in at least one apartment building 8. In this specification, the system of the present invention is described using one apartment building 8 as an example, but in actual operation, the system of the present invention may be applied to multiple apartment buildings 8 that are delivery destinations. As shown in FIG. 2, the delivery company 2 includes a first computer CP1 that manages the packages 3, and a deliverer 4 that delivers the packages 3 to the apartment building 8.

[0027] The apartment building 8 includes a delivery management section 10. The delivery management section 10 receives packages 3 from the delivery person 4 and manages the process until the packages 3 are received by the residents of the multiple dwelling units. The delivery management section 10 also includes a second computer CP2 that manages the received packages 3.

[0028] The first computer CP1 and the second computer CP2 each have the capabilities necessary to realize the processing of the delivery system 1 described in this specification, and include at least the five major devices of a computer (a control device, an arithmetic unit, a storage device, an input device, and an output device). In the present invention, the implementation of these computers is not particularly limited. For example, one of the components of the first computer CP1 is an external server that helps the delivery company 2 manage information about packages 3. The same is true for the second computer CP2. Furthermore, the first computer CP1 and the second computer CP2 may include well-known components as appropriate, and their description will be omitted here.

[0029] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram showing the relationship between the computers used in the delivery system 1 of this embodiment. As shown in Figure 3, in this embodiment, a first computer CP1 owned by the delivery company 2 and a second computer CP2 owned by the delivery management section 10 of the apartment building 8 can exchange information via a network NT. In this embodiment, the network NT is assumed to be the Internet, but is not limited to this and a closed WAN (Wide Area Network) may also be used.

[0030] Furthermore, the delivery person 4 (shown in FIG. 2) has a portable terminal 12 that he carries with him when performing delivery duties. The portable terminal 12 of the delivery person 4 is capable of exchanging information with the first computer CP1. In this embodiment, the portable terminal 12 exchanges information with the first computer CP1 via the network NT. The portable terminal 12 may also be capable of exchanging information directly with the first computer CP1.

[0031] In this embodiment, a resident 9a (shown in FIG. 2) of the apartment building 8 has a terminal 14 that can exchange information with the second computer CP2. In this embodiment, the terminal 14 exchanges information with the second computer CP2 via the network NT. The terminal 14 may also exchange information directly with the second computer CP2. This allows the terminal 14 to receive information about the delivery of the package sent by the deliverer 4.

[0032] In this specification, the mobile terminal 12 owned by the delivery person 4 is an information device that can be effectively used by the delivery person 4 while on the go, and includes a tablet, smartphone, dedicated handheld terminal, etc. Also, the terminal 14 owned by the resident 9a is an information device intended for personal use, and includes a desktop or laptop computer, a tablet, smartphone, etc.

[0033] 4 is a schematic diagram showing various steps of the delivery system 1 of this embodiment. As shown in FIG. 4, the delivery system 1 of the present invention includes at least a first delivery step S1 in which a delivery person 4 delivers a package to a delivery management section 10.

[0034] A specific flowchart of the first delivery process S1 is shown in Figure 5. As shown in Figure 5, in the first delivery process S1, the deliverer 4 delivers packages 3 to multiple dwelling units all at once to the delivery management section 10 (process S11). In addition, the fact that the packages 3 have been delivered and detailed information about the delivered packages 3 are stored in each of the first computer CP1 and the second computer CP2 (process S12).

[0035] This eliminates the need for the delivery person 4 to make multiple visits to the apartment building 8 according to the convenience of the resident 9a, reducing the number of visits to the apartment building and improving the efficiency of delivery operations. Furthermore, in the delivery system 1 of the present invention, the fact that the package 3 has been delivered and detailed information about the package 3 are stored in both the first computer CP1 on the delivery company 2 side and the second computer CP2 on the apartment building 8 side, allowing for appropriate management of delivery operations.

[0036] From the viewpoint of more appropriately managing delivery operations, it is desirable that the detailed information include at least the number of packages 3, the size of each package 3, and information about the delivery destination of each package 3. Furthermore, in a more desirable embodiment, the detailed information includes the packaging (photo of the package), the contents of the delivery slip (slip number, etc.), and the desired method of receipt by the resident 9a of the delivery destination. Note that the method of receipt refers to a specific method of receiving the package, including receiving via a manager or a delivery box, as described below, or leaving the package at the door.

[0037] The configuration of this embodiment will be described in more detail below. Note that each configuration described below represents a specific aspect of this embodiment. Therefore, the delivery system 1 of the present invention can obtain the above-mentioned advantages even if it does not have the features described below. Furthermore, even if any one of the features described below is applied alone to a delivery system 1 having the above-mentioned features, advantages corresponding to each feature can be obtained. Furthermore, some of the features described below may be selectively applied to the delivery system 1 of the present invention.

[0038] As shown in Figure 4, the delivery system 1 includes, for example, a pre-delivery process SP that is carried out before delivery. In the pre-delivery process SP, various types of information are exchanged mainly by the first computer CP1 in order to improve the efficiency of delivery operations. Figure 6 shows a specific flowchart of the pre-delivery process SP. As shown in Figure 6, the pre-delivery process SP includes processes SP1, SP2, SP3, SP4, and SP5.

[0039] In step SP1, the first computer CP1 obtains information on collected packages and packages scheduled for collection, and compiles information on packages 3 scheduled to be delivered to the apartment complex 8 (hereinafter referred to as "delivery schedule information"). In step SP2, the above-mentioned delivery schedule information is sent to the deliverer 4. In step SP3, the above-mentioned delivery schedule information is sent to the second computer CP2. In step SP4, it is determined whether or not there are any objections to the delivery schedule information from the deliverer 4 or the second computer CP2. If there are no objections, the delivery schedule is confirmed in step SP5, and a notice to that effect is sent to the deliverer 4 and the second computer CP2. If there are any objections in step SP4, the delivery schedule is revised, and steps SP1 to SP4 are repeated to finally confirm the delivery schedule.

[0040] In order to improve the efficiency of delivery operations, it is desirable that information be shared as much as possible between the deliverer 4 and the delivery management section 10 of the apartment complex 8 during the preliminary process SP. Therefore, it is desirable that the information shared here include at least the detailed information described above. Furthermore, as will be described later, if there are time periods during which the delivery management section 10 is unable to accept packages all at once, it is desirable that this information be shared during the preliminary process SP.

[0041] FIG. 7 is a perspective view conceptually illustrating the delivery management section 10. As shown in FIG. 7, the delivery management section 10 of this embodiment includes a storage room 16 in which packages 3 can be temporarily stored, and a manager 17 who manages the storage room 16. Here, the storage room 16 does not have to be a dedicated space for storing packages 3. In other words, existing facilities in the apartment building 8, such as a manager's office, security room, waiting room, or storeroom, may be used as the storage room 16. When the delivery management section 10 includes the storage room 16, the deliverer 4 delivers packages 3 to the storage room 16 in bulk. The deliverer 4 also stores detailed information about the delivered packages 3 in a first computer CP1 (shown in FIG. 3). The manager 17 also verifies whether the detailed information about the packages 3 stored in the first computer CP1 by the deliverer 4 matches the actual contents of the packages 3 delivered to the storage room 16. The manager 17 then stores the detailed information about the packages 3 in a second computer CP2 (shown in FIG. 3). As a result, even at this stage when the package is transferred from the deliverer 4 to the manager 17, the actual package status matches the package status managed by the computer. This makes it possible to prevent delivery accidents such as misdelivery or loss of packages, and even if such an accident does occur, it becomes easier to investigate the cause and who is responsible.

[0042] Preferably, the manager 17 takes a photo of each package 3 during the verification and stores the image data in the second computer CP2. In a more preferred embodiment, the image data is treated as detailed information about the package 3 and stored in the first computer CP1 and the second computer CP2. This allows for more reliable management of delivery operations.

[0043] It is desirable that the above-mentioned verification be carried out efficiently by utilizing the slip number, barcode or two-dimensional code attached to each piece of luggage 3, or well-known information equipment capable of reading these.

[0044] To prevent problems such as theft of the package 3, a security camera (not shown) is installed in the storage room 16. It is also desirable that the exchange of the package between the delivery person 4 and the manager 17 is recorded by the security camera, and that the recorded data is saved in the first computer CP1 and the second computer CP2 as detailed package information. This makes it possible to more reliably prevent delivery accidents.

[0045] In this embodiment, if the manager 17 is absent, it is conceivable that the delivery person 4 will not be able to deliver the package to the storage room 16. For this reason, if there are times when the delivery management section 10 cannot accept all packages 3 at once, it is desirable that this information be shared in the preliminary process SP.

[0046] As an embodiment in which delivery to the storage room 16 is possible even when the manager 17 is absent, the delivery person 4 may be given an unlocking pass to unlock the storage room 16. Here, the unlocking pass is a device (card key) or information (PIN number or two-dimensional code) to unlock the storage room 16 that has been locked because the manager 17 is absent, and when this unlocking pass is used, its history is saved.

[0047] A delivery person 4 who has been granted a release pass can deliver a package to the storage room 16 by himself / herself. However, in this embodiment, in order to clarify the status of the package, for example, a device such as a camera installed in the storage room 16 in advance takes a picture of the package delivered to the storage room 16, and the image data is stored in the first computer CP1 and the second computer CP2. This allows the delivery person 4 to deliver a package to the storage room 16 by himself / herself.

[0048] In a normal business process, the detailed information about the package 3 stored by the deliverer 4 in the first computer CP1 matches the detailed information about the package 3 stored by the manager 17 in the second computer CP2. Therefore, in a more desirable aspect of the delivery system 1, after the first delivery step S1 is performed, information is immediately verified between the first computer CP1 and the second computer CP2. Furthermore, if the verification results in a mismatch between the detailed information about the package stored in the first computer CP1 and the detailed information about the package stored in the second computer CP2, it is desirable to immediately notify the deliverer 4 and the manager 17 of this fact. This can prevent delivery accidents from occurring.

[0049] 4, the delivery system 1 includes a second delivery process S2. The second delivery process S2 is a process in which the packages 3 delivered to the delivery management section 10 are received by the residents 9a of the multiple dwelling units 9.

[0050] A specific flowchart of the second delivery process S2 is shown in Figure 8. As shown in Figure 8, the second delivery process S2 includes processes S21, S22, S23, S24, and S25. In process S21, the second computer CP2 transmits information to the terminal 14 owned by the resident 9a that a package has been delivered to the storage room 16, prompting the resident 9a to pick up the package 3 in the storage room 16.

[0051] In step S22, the resident 9a receives the package 3 in the storage room 16. In this embodiment, the manager 17 hands the package 3 from the storage room 16 to the resident 9a. In step S23, the fact that the resident 9a has received the package 3 is transmitted to the first computer CP1. This allows the delivery company 2 to confirm that the resident 9a has received the package 3.

[0052] In step S24, it is determined whether all of the packages 3 delivered collectively to the delivery management section 10 have been delivered to the resident 9a. If any packages 3 remain, the second delivery step S2 is completed after an additional step S25, such as contacting the resident 9a again or having the manager 17 deliver the packages directly to the dwelling unit 9.

[0053] The second delivery step S2 is not limited to the flowchart shown in FIG. 8. In another embodiment, in the second delivery step S2, the manager 17 may deliver the package 3 to each of the multiple dwelling units 9. This embodiment is desirable because it allows the package to be delivered to the resident 9a more quickly. In this embodiment, it is desirable for the manager 17 to take pictures of the situation when delivering the package 3 to the dwelling unit 9 with a wearable camera and store the captured data in the second computer CP2. This makes it possible to more reliably store the fact that the delivery has been completed.

[0054] As shown in FIG. 7, in an embodiment in which the work of the delivery management section 10 is carried out via a manager 17, the labor costs of the manager 17 can be a burden. To reduce this cost, the delivery management section 10 may include a delivery locker. FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing an example of a delivery locker 20. As shown in FIG. 9, the delivery locker 20 has multiple storage sections 21 (in FIG. 9, most of the storage sections 21 are closed by doors 22), and can individually store multiple packages with different delivery destinations. The delivery locker 20 is placed in a place shared by residents 9a, such as the entrance of an apartment building 8.

[0055] In the first delivery step S1 when using this delivery locker 20, the deliverer 4 stores the packages 3 in the delivery locker 20 according to the delivery destination. In this embodiment of the delivery locker 20, the deliverer 4 can lock the storage unit 21 after delivering the package 3 to the storage unit 21. In addition, the deliverer 4 can appropriately set unlocking information for unlocking the locked storage unit 21. Examples of the unlocking information include a personal identification number and a two-dimensional code.

[0056] The delivery person 4 transmits to the second computer CP2 information that the package 3 has been delivered to the delivery box 20, the location information of the storage unit 21 to which the package has been delivered (for example, the control number assigned to each storage unit 21), and the corresponding unlocking information. Note that this transmission may also be made from the delivery person 4 to the second computer CP2 via the first computer CP1.

[0057] Furthermore, in the second delivery step S2 when this delivery box 20 is used, the second computer CP2, having received the above information, transmits information that the package 3 has been stored in the delivery box 20 to the terminal 14 owned by the corresponding resident 9a, prompting the resident 9a to collect the package 3 from the delivery box 20. At this time, unlocking information is also transmitted to the terminal 14 of the resident 9a. However, the present invention is not limited to this embodiment, and the unlocking information may be written on a missed delivery slip and posted to notify the resident 9a.

[0058] The resident 9a who receives the above information can input the unlocking information into an input unit 23 such as a touch panel of the delivery locker 20 to unlock the corresponding storage unit 21 and collect the package 3 that has been delivered therein. As described above, in an embodiment using the delivery locker 20, the resident 9a can collect packages without the involvement of the manager 17 of the delivery management section 10, thereby reducing the workload of the manager 17 and making it possible to omit the placement of the manager 17 altogether. For this reason, in a more desirable embodiment, it is desirable that the delivery locker 20 has sufficient capacity for the number and size of the packages 3 to be delivered, and that the first delivery step S1 and the second delivery step S2 can be carried out without the involvement of the manager 17.

[0059] However, the embodiment using the delivery locker 20 is not limited to the above. That is, the delivery management section 10 of the present invention may be equipped with the storage room 16, the manager 17, and the delivery locker 20 in parallel. In such an embodiment, the delivery locker 20 reduces the burden on the manager 17, and the manager 17 can respond appropriately if an irregular situation occurs. For example, the resident 9a can ask the manager 17 to check the status of the package scheduled for delivery, and the manager 17 can search the second computer CP2 to confirm this. Furthermore, once the resident 9a can check the status of the package, he or she can appropriately decide how to receive it (whether to receive it at the storage room 16 or have it delivered to the dwelling unit 9). Therefore, improvement in delivery efficiency can be expected.

[0060] Furthermore, in an embodiment in which the unlocking information for the delivery box 20 is written on a delivery slip to inform the resident 9a, it is conceivable that an unforeseen event may occur, such as when the PIN number written by the delivery person 4 as the unlocking information is incorrect, or when the resident 9a loses the delivery slip, making it impossible to quickly unlock the delivery box 20. In this case, the manager 17 can deal with such an event by unlocking the storage unit 21 to which the package has been delivered, based on the information stored in the second computer CP2.

[0061] When the delivery management section 10 is equipped with a storage room 16, a manager 17, and a delivery box 20 in parallel, it is desirable for the sender of the package 3 to be able to specify how to receive the package 3. For example, if the sender of the package 3 specifies only the use of the delivery box 20, there is no risk that the manager 17 will be able to detect the contents of the package 3, and the personal information of the resident 9a can be more reliably protected. Also, for example, by specifying that the package 3 be received via the manager 17, the resident 9a can quickly receive the package 3 even if the package 3 is too large to fit in the delivery box 20.

[0062] From the perspective of further improving the efficiency of delivery operations, in an embodiment in which a delivery locker 20 is installed, it is desirable to know in advance whether the delivery locker 20 can accept all of the packages to be delivered that day at once. For this reason, in this embodiment, before the first delivery process S1, i.e., in the preliminary process SP, the first computer CP1 transmits information about the number of packages 3 to be delivered and the size of each of the packages 3 to the second computer CP2. The second computer CP2 compares the received information about the packages to be delivered with the capacity (storage capacity) of the delivery locker 20. As a result, if the delivery locker 20 can accept all of the packages 3 to be delivered at once, the second computer CP2 transmits that information to the first computer CP1, and the deliveries are carried out according to the delivery schedule.

[0063] On the other hand, if the capacity of the delivery locker 20 is insufficient for the packages 3 scheduled for delivery, the second computer CP2 will send a reply to that effect to the first computer CP1. The first computer CP1 and the deliverer 4, who receive this information before the delivery is made, can revise the delivery schedule to minimize the number of deliveries. For example, they can take measures such as handing over any packages 3 that cannot be stored in the delivery locker 20 to the manager 17 separately or delivering them on another day.

[0064] The more storage compartments 21 a delivery locker 20 has, the easier it is for the delivery person 4 to deliver packages 3 all at once. On the other hand, if there are an excessive number of storage compartments 21, the delivery locker 20 becomes large, which may reduce the space efficiency of the location where the delivery locker 20 is located. On the other hand, it has been empirically found that the number of packages 3 delivered per day to a single apartment building 8 is approximately 20% to 30% of the number of dwelling units. For this reason, the number of storage compartments 21 in a delivery locker 20 is set to, for example, 30% to 50% of the number of dwelling units in the apartment building 8. This makes it possible to improve the efficiency of delivery operations while maintaining the space efficiency.

[0065] In any of the above-described embodiments, if there is a change in the status of a package or if there is an exchange of information between various computers and terminals, it is desirable that the history of this is stored in each of the first computer CP1 and the second computer CP2. That is, it is desirable that the history of the package's status, such as whether it is undelivered (managed by the delivery person 4), delivered to the storage room 16 or the delivery box 20, or delivered to the resident 9a, is stored in each of the first computer CP1 and the second computer CP2. Furthermore, if there is an exchange of information between the mobile terminal 12 (shown in FIG. 3) held by the delivery person 4 and the terminal 14 (shown in FIG. 3) held by the resident 9a, it is desirable that this content be stored in each of the first computer CP1 and the second computer CP2. This allows for more appropriate management of delivery operations, and even if a delivery accident occurs, it becomes easier to investigate the cause.

[0066] A larger-scale demonstration test was conducted on the delivery system 1 of the present invention. An embodiment of the delivery system 1 in this demonstration test (hereinafter referred to as the "demonstration example") will be specifically described below. FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing an overview of this demonstration example. As shown in FIG. 10, in this demonstration example, three delivery companies 2 (a first delivery company 2A, a second delivery company 2B, and a third delivery company 2C) perform delivery operations. These three delivery companies 2 are independent of each other and are business entities that specialize in the delivery business. In other words, the first delivery company 2A, the second delivery company 2B, and the third delivery company 2C each independently have a first computer CP1 that manages their own packages 3 (hereinafter, various reference numerals are shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, 7, and 9).

[0067] In this example, multiple apartment buildings 8 are included as delivery destinations. In FIG. 10, the apartment buildings 8 are shown as a first apartment building 8A, a second apartment building 8B, and a third apartment building 8C, but the number is not limited to this. Each of the multiple apartment buildings 8 includes a delivery management section 10 (see FIG. 7) that includes a storage room 16 (see FIG. 7) where packages 3 can be temporarily stored, a manager 17 (see FIG. 7) who manages the storage room 16, and a delivery box 20 (see FIG. 9). In this example, these multiple apartment buildings 8 are managed by a common management company. Therefore, the managers 17 at each apartment building 8 belong to the same management company. In addition to delivering and managing packages 3, the managers 17 in this example may also perform security guard duties such as patrolling inside and outside the apartment buildings 8, controlling access, and conducting security surveillance.

[0068] In this example, the property manager 17 receives all of the packages 3 delivered by the delivery person 4 to the delivery management section 10. The resident 9a then receives the packages 3 from the property manager 17 in various ways. In this example, four types of receiving methods are used: normal receiving, drop-off receiving, box receiving, and other receiving. Normal receiving is a method in which the property manager 17 delivers the package 3 to the front door of the residence, and the resident 9a picks it up directly. Drop-off receiving is a method in which the property manager 17 leaves the package 3 in front of the front door of the residence, and the resident 9a then picks it up. Box receiving is a method in which the property manager 17 stores the package 3 in a delivery box 20, and the resident 9a picks up the package 3 from the delivery box 20. Other receiving is a method other than the above three receiving methods, and in particular, a method in which the property manager 17 stores any packages 3 that cannot be stored in the delivery box 20 separately in the property manager's office, etc., and the resident 9a then picks up the package 3. The resident 9a can select any of these receiving modes as appropriate.

[0069] Figure 11 shows a flow diagram illustrating the actions of the delivery person 4, the manager 17, and the resident 9a in this example. In Figure 11, the actions of each person are shown in chronological order. The vertical direction of Figure 11 corresponds to the passage of time, with more time passing further down.

[0070] As shown in (1) of Figure 11, the delivery person 4 contacts the manager 17 after arriving at the apartment complex. The delivery person 4 also carries the package 3 to the storage room 16. In this example, the delivery person 4 can unlock the storage room 16 using a PIN code key. The delivery person 4 also contacts the manager 17 by phone or the like, and meets up with the manager 17 in the storage room 16. In another embodiment, the manager 17 may be automatically notified when the delivery person 4 unlocks the storage room 16.

[0071] When the delivery person 4 carries the packages 3 to the storage room 16, if the manner in which the packages 3 will be received (the four modes of receiving described above) is known in advance, the delivery person 4 carries the packages 3 into the storage room 16 while sorting them so as to make it as easy as possible to make the next delivery. Also, in this example, from the perspective of backup, the delivery person 4 fills in the necessary information (e.g., delivery date and time, name of the delivery company, contact information, number of packages, etc.) on a package reception form that has been placed in the storage room 16 in advance. However, this step is not essential.

[0072] As shown in (2) of Figure 11, the manager 17 receives a call from the delivery person 4, moves to the storage room 16, and receives the package 3 from the delivery person 4. At this time, the manager 17 checks the number of packages 3 received from the delivery person 4 and their packaging. If any abnormalities are found in the packaging, etc., the delivery person 4 and the manager 17 will discuss the matter and, if necessary, return the package 3 to the delivery person 4.

[0073] In an improved example of this demonstration example, if the manager 17 is busy with other tasks at steps (1) and (2) in Figure 11, the delivery person 4 may carry the packages 3 to the storage room 17 alone (i.e., without the manager 17 being present). In this case, the number of packages 3 is notified to the manager 17 by the delivery person 4. This notification can be made in various ways, such as by telephone or email.

[0074] As shown in (3) of Figure 11, in this example, once the procedures (1) and (2) above are completed, the status of package 3 on the delivery company 2's side becomes "delivery completed." In other words, the first computer CP1 of the delivery company 2 saves the fact that package 3 has been delivered, along with detailed information about the delivered package 3.

[0075] As shown in (4) of Figure 11, the caretaker 17 reads the identification code attached to each package 3 brought into the storage room 16 using a mobile terminal. In this example, the read identification code is linked to delivery information such as the room number to which the package is to be delivered, the pickup method, and the pickup time, and the information is manually entered into the mobile terminal. These records are sent to the second computer CP2. In other words, the caretaker 17 can record the receipt of the package by reading the code. In this example, a barcode is used as the identification code attached to each package, but this is not limited to this; two-dimensional codes may also be used. In this example, the caretaker 17 carries a smartphone as the mobile terminal and uses it to read the barcode. In a more preferable embodiment, a dedicated barcode scanner may be used as the above-mentioned mobile terminal. This improves work efficiency when recording receipt. In an improved example of this example, the delivery information is sent directly from the first computer CP1 to the second computer CP2, eliminating the need for manual input.

[0076] The method of recording receipt in the second computer CP2 is not limited to the above-described embodiment. For example, the delivery person 4 may read the identification code when moving the package 3 to the storage room 16, and the status of the package 3 in the second computer CP2 may be changed accordingly.

[0077] In addition, while keeping a record of receipt, the manager 17 also sorts the packages 3 so that they can be easily delivered to the resident 9a. As described above, the packages 3 are received in one of the following ways: regular collection, drop-off collection, box collection, and other collection. Therefore, the manager 17 sorts the packages 3 so that they can be easily handled. In addition, since the packages 3 related to regular collection and drop-off collection need to be carried to the front door of the dwelling unit 9, these packages 3 are sorted by the floor to which they are delivered.

[0078] Thereafter, as shown in (a) to (d) of (5) in Figure 11, the caretaker 17 carries out delivery depending on the mode of receipt of the package 3. That is, "(a) Packages for normal receipt" are delivered directly to the dwelling unit 9 by the caretaker 17. "(b) Packages for drop-off receipt" are left at the front door of the dwelling unit 9 by the caretaker 17. "(c) Packages for box receipt" are stored in the delivery box 20 by the caretaker 17. "(d) Packages for other receipt" are stored in the storage room 16 or the like by the caretaker 17.

[0079] In this example, packages 3 for which a specified delivery method has been specified in advance are delivered in accordance with that specification. Packages 3 for which no such specification has been specified are generally treated as normal delivery and delivered, and if the resident 9a is not at home, they are treated as box delivery. However, if the package 3 is excessively heavy or if the delivery box 20 is full, these packages may be left at the door. Furthermore, packages that are not suitable for either delivery or box delivery (e.g., fresh food) are treated as other delivery. Furthermore, in the case of delivery methods (b) to (d), the resident is notified, for example, by placing a notification slip in the mailbox. However, this is not limited to this, and the above notification may also be sent to the resident via email, etc. Furthermore, when the above-mentioned packages 3 are delivered, the manager 17 reads the identification code of each package 3 using a mobile terminal. This allows the status of the package 3 in the second computer CP2 to be changed to an appropriate one.

[0080] As shown in (a) to (d) of (6) in Figure 11, the resident 9a receives the package 3 in various ways. That is, in "(a) normal reception," the resident 9a receives the package 3 directly from the manager 17 at the front door of the dwelling unit 9. In "(b) delivery reception," the resident 9a receives the package 3 that has been delivered to the front door of the dwelling unit 9. In "(c) box reception," the resident 9a receives the package 3 from the delivery box 20. In "(d) other reception," the resident 9a receives the package 3 in the storage room 16, etc.

[0081] An application (hereinafter referred to as the "delivery management app") for managing packages 3 delivered to the apartment complex 8 is installed on the second computer CP2. FIG. 12 shows an example of a management screen in the delivery management app. As shown in FIG. 12, in this example, the delivery management app in the second computer CP2 receives data on packages 3 from the first computers CP1 of each of the delivery companies 2A to 2C and stores the data in a database. The stored data can be used by a manager 17 or the like to search for and check information on packages 3 on the management screen shown in FIG. 12. This management screen can be viewed, for example, on a personal computer installed in the manager's office where the manager 17 is stationed, or on a mobile terminal (smartphone) carried by the manager 17.

[0082] In the delivery management app in this demonstration example, it is possible to search for a package 3 by various items, and in the example shown in Fig. 12, it is possible to search for a package 3 by, for example, the building of the delivery destination, room number, waybill number, package status, package registration date, delivery company name, delivery method (receiving method), delivery box name, last absence confirmation date, etc. However, Fig. 12 is merely an example of the management screen of the delivery management app, and the search items are not limited to these types.

[0083] FIG. 13 shows an example of a screen of a delivery management app displayed on the mobile device carried by the manager 17. As shown in screen G1 of FIG. 13, in the delivery management app of this demonstration example, the number of deliveries that have not yet been completed is displayed on the mobile device of the manager 17 (see text T1 on screen G1). Furthermore, when the manager 17 taps text T1 on screen G1, screen G2 is displayed, allowing the manager 17 to check detailed information such as the waybill number of the package 3 to be delivered. Furthermore, the manager 17 can select a package 3 on screen G2, return to screen G1, and tap one of the buttons Bs to change the status of the selected package 3.

[0084] 14 to 16 show an example of a screen of a delivery management app in an improved example of this demonstration example. In this improved example, the receiving mode desired (or avoided) by the resident 9a of the delivery destination room can be displayed on the screen. That is, when the registration button B1 is tapped on the screen G3 of FIG. 14, the screen G4 on the right side of FIG. 14 is displayed. Here, when the room number (here, "204") is entered, text T2 ("Home delivery / drop-off delivery not allowed") indicating the receiving mode that the resident 9a of this room wants to avoid is displayed as a warning. This allows the manager 17 to appropriately respond to the requests of each resident 9a.

[0085] In addition, in this improved example, when a room number of a delivery destination is entered, if there are multiple packages to be delivered to the corresponding room, a warning to that effect is displayed (see text T3). Note that this display format is not limited to screen G4, and warnings can be displayed in various formats when a room number is entered. This makes it possible to avoid multiple deliveries to one room, improving delivery efficiency.

[0086] The delivery management app in this improved example also has a cart function. When the caretaker 17 delivers packages 3 to each room, he places multiple packages 3 on a cart and moves them around. With this cart function, it is possible to assign a status of "on cart" to each package 3.

[0087] Specifically, the cart function is used in the following procedure. When the take-out registration button B2 is tapped on screen G3 in FIG. 14, screen G5 shown in FIG. 15 is displayed. On this screen, the luggage to be placed on the cart can be scanned as needed and the luggage status can be changed. After performing multiple take-out registrations like this, by tapping the cart button B3 on screen G3 in FIG. 14, screen G6 in FIG. 15 is displayed. On this screen G6, the administrator 17 can check a list of luggage whose status is "in cart."

[0088] Also, for example, when delivering a package to room 301 in the state of the cart shown on screen G6, tapping text T4 on screen G6 will display screen G7 in Fig. 15, which will display all packages (two in this example) to be delivered to room 301. Once the delivery of the packages to room 301 is actually completed, the manager 17 can change the delivery status of the packages to "Delivery completed" from this screen G7.

[0089] In addition, in this improved example, it is possible to check the delivery status for each delivery company 2 in a list (hereinafter, this function will be referred to as "carrier check"). In this improved example, for example, when the carrier check button B4 is tapped on the screen G3 shown in FIG. 14, the screen G8 shown in FIG. 16 is displayed. On this screen G8, the administrator 17 can check, in a list, the total number of packages to be delivered by each delivery company 2 on a specific date, etc.

[0090] Furthermore, in this improved delivery management app, when a package is left at the door, the manager 17 can take a picture of the package being left in front of the entrance with a camera and save the image data (not shown) in association with the waybill number of the delivered package 3. This makes it possible to record that the package has been left at the door without fail. The image data may also be sent by email to the relevant resident 9a in a manner described below.

[0091] Figure 17 is a schematic diagram showing the relationship between the delivery management app in this demonstration example and a conventional customer management system. As shown in Figure 17, the management company of the apartment complex 8 has traditionally had a customer management system, and information is exchanged with the tenants (residents) through this system (see arrows A1 and A2). Of course, there are also cases where the management company exchanges information with the tenants without going through this customer management system (see arrow A3).

[0092] In this example, the delivery management app and the customer system are managed on separate servers, and the delivery management app does not directly store data on residents. The delivery management app in this example is API-linked with the customer management system, and emails sent from the second computer CP2 (delivery management app) to a resident 9a are sent using the customer management system. More specifically, when the second computer CP2 (delivery management app) sends information to a certain resident 9a that a package 3 has been delivered, along with the delivery status, the second computer CP2 (delivery management app) sends the room number of the dwelling unit 9 in which the resident 9a resides and the information to the customer management system. The customer management system then sends an email to the relevant resident 9a. Therefore, the second computer CP2 (delivery management app) does not store personal data on the resident 9a, except for the room number. This reduces the need to set a high security level for the delivery system 1, thereby reducing the cost of implementing the system. However, the present invention is not limited to this embodiment, and the delivery management application may be capable of sending an email directly to the resident 9a.

[0093] When the delivery management app needs resident information, it obtains the resident information from the customer management system. Specifically, when the delivery management app needs resident information (for example, name), it sends the room number corresponding to that resident to the customer management system. In response, the customer management system provides the corresponding resident information to the delivery management app.

[0094] In this demonstration example, as mentioned above, the delivery management app is separated from tenant (resident) data, which increases the security level. Furthermore, this separation also makes it possible to smoothly switch to other systems and support add-ons for other services.

[0095] FIG. 18 is a schematic diagram illustrating an improved example of this demonstration example. As shown in FIG. 18, in this improved example, a system on the delivery company 2 side, contained in a first computer CP1, and a delivery management app, contained in a second computer CP2, are API-linked. For example, when the manager 17 reads the delivery slip number of the package 3, the corresponding number is sent from the second computer CP2 to the first computer CP1. In response, the first computer CP1 sends delivery specification information, such as the room number, pickup method, specified time, package contents, delivery origin, and notes, to the second computer CP2. In this way, API linkage between the system contained in the first computer CP1 and the delivery management app in the second computer CP2 enables centralized management of the status of the package 3, thereby reducing the workload of the manager 17.

[0096] If the number of packages 3 increases, the delivery workload of the caretaker 17 may become excessive, which may interfere with the caretaker 17's normal duties. For this reason, in this example, a follow-up person 25 is assigned to assist the caretaker 17. This follow-up person 25 is a person who assists the caretaker 17 with the delivery work he is performing. Figure 19 shows a schematic diagram illustrating an example of the placement of the follow-up person 25. As shown in Figure 19, in this example, one follow-up person 25 travels between the first apartment building 8A, the second apartment building 8B, and the third apartment building 8C to assist the caretaker 17 with the delivery work at each building. This makes it possible to avoid excessive staffing and reduce the burden on the caretaker 17. Multiple follow-up people 25 may be assigned.

[0097] In this case, it is desirable that the follow-up personnel 25 have a mobile terminal (smartphone) that can connect to the delivery management app described above. The follow-up personnel 25, for example, can refer to the delivery management app as needed to determine which apartment complex is the most appropriate for them to assist with the work. This allows for efficient assistance with the work.

[0098] While a particularly preferred embodiment of the present invention has been described above in detail, the present invention is not limited to the illustrated embodiment and can be modified and implemented in various ways. In this specification, the delivery system of the present invention has been described using one apartment building as an example, but as mentioned above, the delivery system of the present invention may also be applied to multiple apartment buildings that can be delivery destinations. [Example]

[0099] The number of redeliveries per day, delivery time, and number of visits per day by delivery companies to one apartment building were compared between the conventional delivery method and this demonstration example. The results are shown in Table 1 below.

[0100] [Table 1]

[0101] As shown in Table 1, with conventional delivery methods, delivery companies had to visit each apartment complex multiple times to redeliver packages, and delivery times were long. In contrast, with this demonstration example, the number of redelivered packages was reduced to zero, reducing delivery times and the number of visits. As described above, it was confirmed that the delivery system of the present invention can reduce the number of visits to apartment complexes while properly managing delivery operations. [Industrial Applicability]

[0102] As described above, the present invention is useful as a delivery system. [Explanation of symbols]

[0103] 2. Delivery company 3. Luggage 4. Delivery Person 8 Apartment complex 9 dwelling units 10 Delivery Management Section CP1 First Computer CP2 Second Computer S1 First delivery process

Claims

1. A system for delivering packages from a delivery company to multiple dwelling units in a single apartment building, the delivery company includes a first computer that manages the package and a delivery person that delivers the package to the apartment complex; The apartment complex includes a delivery management section that receives the package from the delivery person and manages the package until the resident of the dwelling unit receives it, the delivery management section includes a second computer that manages the received packages; In a first delivery step in which the deliverer delivers the package to the delivery management section, the delivery person delivers the packages to the plurality of dwelling units collectively to the delivery management section; The first computer and the second computer each store the fact that the package has been delivered and detailed information about the delivered package. Delivery system.

2. The delivery system of claim 1 , wherein the detailed information includes the number of packages, the size of each of the packages, and the delivery destination of each of the packages.

3. The delivery management section includes a storage room in which the package can be temporarily stored, and a manager who manages the storage room; The delivery person delivers the packages collectively to the storage room, and then stores the detailed information in the first computer; 3. The delivery system of claim 1, wherein the manager checks whether the contents of the package delivered to the storage room match the detailed information stored in the first computer, and then stores the detailed information in the second computer.

4. The delivery system according to claim 3 , wherein the manager photographs each of the packages during the verification and stores the image data in the second computer.

5. In a second delivery step, the parcels delivered to the delivery management section are received by the residents of the plurality of dwelling units, The delivery system of claim 3 , wherein the caretaker delivers the package to each of the plurality of dwelling units.

6. The delivery system according to claim 5 , wherein the caretaker takes pictures of the situation when delivering the package to the dwelling unit using a wearable camera and stores the photographed data in the second computer.

7. In a second delivery step, the parcels delivered to the delivery management section are received by the residents of the plurality of dwelling units, The delivery system of claim 3, wherein the second computer transmits information to a terminal owned by the resident that the package has been delivered to the storage room, prompting the resident to pick up the package at the storage room.

8. the delivery management section includes a delivery box capable of individually storing a plurality of packages having different delivery destinations; In the first delivery step, The delivery system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the deliverer stores the packages in the delivery boxes according to delivery destinations.

9. In a second delivery step, the parcels delivered to the delivery management section are received by the residents of the plurality of dwelling units, The delivery system of claim 8, wherein the second computer sends information that the package has been stored in the delivery box to a terminal owned by the corresponding resident, prompting the resident to collect the package from the delivery box.

10. the first computer transmits, to the second computer, information regarding the number of parcels to be delivered and the size of each of the parcels prior to the first delivery step; 9. The delivery system according to claim 8, wherein, when the capacity of the delivery box is insufficient for the package scheduled for delivery, the second computer returns a message to that effect to the first computer.

11. The resident can select the manner of receiving the package as follows: The manager delivers the package to the front door of the dwelling unit, and the resident picks it up in person. The manager leaves the package in front of the entrance of the dwelling unit, and the resident then receives it; The manager stores the package in a delivery box, and the resident receives the package from the delivery box; and 3. The delivery system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the user can select one of four receiving modes consisting of the normal receiving, the drop-off receiving, and other receiving, which is a receiving mode other than the box receiving.

12. In a second delivery step, the parcels delivered to the delivery management section are received by the residents of the plurality of dwelling units, The delivery system of claim 11 , wherein the second computer transmits to a terminal owned by the resident information that the package has been delivered along with the receipt method selected by the resident.

13. The delivery system according to claim 12 , wherein the second computer transmits the information to the resident via a customer management system owned by a management company that manages the apartment complex.

Images