Information processing apparatus, information processing program, and information processing method

Abstract

To provide a technology for enabling a visitor to easily grasp the congestion situation of each store after a prescribed time in a facility.SOLUTION: The information processing device is configured to, based on reservation information of a customer of each store received from a customer using a store occupying a facility and waiting information of a customer of each store waiting for using the store without making a reservation, the above problem is solved by including an estimator that estimates an availability of a seat in each store after a first predetermined time from a current time, a generator that generates status information on a congestion status of each store based on the estimated availability of the seat in each store, and a display controller that arranges the status information at a position corresponding to the store in guide map information indicating a position of each store in a facility and causes a guide display device installed in the facility to display the status information.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an information processing device, an information processing program, and an information processing method. [Background technology]

[0002] With the development of communication technology, reservation systems have become known that connect to the Internet and allow users to reserve seats at stores, event venues, etc., via websites. In these systems, users can make reservations for stores by accessing a web server device that manages the website using a user terminal such as a personal computer (PC), smartphone, or tablet terminal, and entering the information required for the reservation.

[0003] Meanwhile, stores where seats are reserved via the website are equipped with store terminals (personal computers, tablets, etc.), which allow store personnel to check the reservation details accepted on the website via the store terminals.

[0004] Incidentally, commercial facilities are equipped with floor guide maps to confirm and guide customers to the locations of stores. In recent years, floor guide maps are often displayed on displays. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a store guide system that provides information on each store in a shopping mall or the like consisting of multiple stores. The store guide system includes a customer information input means for inputting customer information at each store, a congestion degree calculation means for calculating the congestion degree of each store based on the customer information, and a congestion status display means for displaying the congestion status of each store based on the calculated congestion degree. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-108697 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] In Patent Document 1, by touching a store on a store guide map displayed on the screen of a store guide terminal, image information and text information about the selected store can be displayed. Furthermore, the store guide terminal can display "Available," "Seats available," or "Crowded" at the location of each store on the store guide map depending on the store's congestion level.

[0007] However, in Patent Document 1, only the current congestion situation was taken into consideration, and information on seating plans for customers with reservations or waiting in line in the future was not taken into consideration. Therefore, if a customer confirmed that a seat was available based on the information displayed on the store information terminal at the current time, and then visited the store a few minutes to 10 minutes later (or several tens of minutes later), there was a risk that the seats would already be taken and they would not be able to enter the store.

[0008] Therefore, the present invention provides a technology that allows visitors to easily understand the congestion status of each store within the facility after a specified time. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] An information processing device in one embodiment of the present invention is characterized by comprising: an estimation unit that estimates the availability of seats at each store after a first predetermined time from the present based on reservation information for customers of each store received from customers using stores located in the facility and waiting information for customers of each store who are waiting in line to use the store without making a reservation; a generation unit that generates status information regarding the congestion status of each store based on the estimated availability of seats at each store; and a display control unit that places the status information at a position corresponding to the store in guide map information showing the location of each store within the facility and displays it on a guide display device installed within the facility.

[0010] The estimation unit estimates the availability of seats at each store within the first predetermined time period from the present based on the reservation information and the waiting list information.

[0011] The estimation unit estimates the availability of seats at each store within n hours (n: integer) from the present and the availability of seats at each store from n hours from now to less than (n+1) hours based on the reservation information and the waiting list information, and the display control unit alternately displays, at regular intervals, first guide map information in which the status information corresponding to the availability of seats at each store within n hours from now and second guide map information in which the status information corresponding to the availability of seats at each store from n hours from now to less than (n+1) hours on the guide display device.

[0012] The estimation unit is characterized in that it sets the first predetermined time based on walking time information that is preset as the time it takes to walk from the installation location of the guidance display device installed within the facility to each of the stores.

[0013] The estimation unit further estimates the number of visitors to each of the stores after a second predetermined time based on the number of visitors measured by a visitor counting device installed within the facility, the generation unit generates second status information regarding the congestion status of each of the stores based on the estimated number of visitors to each of the stores, and the display control unit displays, on the guidance display device, guide map information in which the first status information and the second information corresponding to the availability of seats in each of the stores are arranged.

[0014] An information processing program in one embodiment of the present invention causes a computer to execute an estimation process that estimates the availability of seats at each store after a first predetermined time from the present based on reservation information for customers of each store received from customers using stores located in the facility and waiting information for customers of each store who are waiting in line to use the store without making a reservation; a generation process that generates status information regarding the congestion status of each store based on the estimated availability of seats at each store; and a display control process that places the status information at a position corresponding to the store in guide map information that shows the location of each store within the facility and displays it on a guide display device installed within the facility.

[0015] In an information processing method according to one embodiment of the present invention, a computer estimates the availability of seats at each store after a first predetermined time from the present based on reservation information for customers of each store received from customers using stores located in the facility and waiting list information for customers at each store who are waiting in line to use the store without making a reservation, generates status information regarding the congestion status of each store based on the estimated availability of seats at each store, and places the status information at a position corresponding to the store in guide map information showing the location of each store within the facility, and displays the status information on a guide display device installed within the facility. [Effects of the Invention]

[0016] According to the present invention, visitors can easily understand the congestion status of each store within the facility after a predetermined time. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0017] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram illustrating an overview of an information processing device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of the overall configuration of a store management system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram of a store management server according to the present embodiment. [Figure 4]FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of the data structure of a database managed by a store management server 14 in this embodiment. [Figure 5] 10 is an example of a seat register display screen in the present embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a sequence diagram for displaying floor map guidance information with a congestion status added thereto in this embodiment (Example 1). [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a flow of a floor map adjustment process in the present embodiment (Example 1). [Figure 8] 1 shows an example of a floor guide map displayed on a floor guide display device in this embodiment (Example 1). [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a flow of a floor map adjustment process in the present embodiment (Example 2). [Figure 10] 10 shows an example of a floor guide map displayed on the floor guide display device in this embodiment (Example 3). [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of the data structure of a seat ledger DB managed by a store management server 14 in this embodiment (Example 4). [Figure 12] 10 is a flowchart illustrating a process for generating a travel time management DB according to the present embodiment (Example 4). [Figure 13] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a flow of a floor map adjustment process in the present embodiment (Example 4). [Figure 14] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of the overall configuration of a store management system according to the present embodiment (Example 5). [Figure 15] FIG. 10 is a sequence diagram for displaying floor map guidance information with congestion status added thereto in this embodiment (Example 5). [Figure 16] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a flow of a floor map adjustment process in the present embodiment (Example 5). [Figure 17] 10 shows an example of a floor guide map displayed on the floor guide display device in this embodiment (Example 5). [Figure 18]FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a hardware environment of a computer that executes a program according to the present embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0018] 1 is a diagram illustrating an overview of an information processing device according to an embodiment of the present invention. The information processing device 1 includes an estimation unit 2, a generation unit 3, and a display control unit 4. An example of the information processing device 1 is a store management server 14, which will be described later.

[0019] The estimation unit 2 estimates the availability of seats at each store a predetermined time from now (for example, 1 minute, 3 minutes, 5 minutes, 10 minutes, 15 minutes, 20 minutes, 30 minutes, 40 minutes, N minutes (N: integer), etc.) based on reservation information of customers at each store received from customers using the stores in the facility and waiting information of customers at each store who are waiting in line to use the store without making a reservation. An example of the estimation unit 2 is the guidance management unit 37 described below.

[0020] The generation unit 3 generates status information (e.g., "vacant," "slightly crowded," "crowded") regarding the congestion status of each store based on the estimated seat availability at each store. An example of the generation unit 3 is the guidance management unit 37 described below.

[0021] The display control unit 4 places the status information at a position corresponding to the store in the guide map information that indicates the location of each store within the facility, and displays the status information on a guide display device installed within the facility. An example of the display control unit 4 is the guide management unit 37, which will be described later. An example of the guide display device is the floor guide display device 27, which will be described later.

[0022] This configuration makes it easy to grasp the congestion status of each store within the facility after a specified time. This eliminates the risk that even if a visitor to the facility checks the congestion status of each store displayed on the information display device at a certain time and visits a store at that specified time, they will not be able to enter because the seats are already taken.

[0023] Furthermore, the estimation unit 2 can estimate the availability of seats at each store within a predetermined time from the present (for example, 1 minute, 3 minutes, 5 minutes, 10 minutes, 15 minutes, 20 minutes, 30 minutes, 40 minutes, N minutes (N: integer), etc.) based on reservation information and waiting list information.

[0024] This configuration makes it easy to grasp the congestion status of each store within the facility within a given time. Compared to the above case, even if you arrive early, there is no risk of being unable to enter the store because the seats are already taken.

[0025] Furthermore, the estimation unit 2 may estimate the seat availability at each store less than n hours from now (n: integer) and the seat availability at each store from n hours from now to less than (n+1) hours based on the reservation information and waiting list information. The display control unit 4 causes the guidance display device to alternately display, at regular intervals, first guide map information in which status information corresponding to the seat availability at each store less than n hours from now is arranged, and second guide map information in which status information corresponding to the seat availability at each store from n hours from now to less than (n+1) hours.

[0026] This configuration makes it possible to display not only the current congestion status of each store, but also the congestion status of each store after a specified time, allowing visitors to the facility to easily understand not only the current congestion status of each store, but also the congestion status of each store after a specified time.

[0027] In addition, the estimation unit 2 sets a predetermined time (for example, the walking time, or the walking time plus a predetermined time) based on walking time information that is preset as the walking time from the installation location of each guidance display device installed within the facility to each store.

[0028] This configuration makes it possible to appropriately adjust travel time to the store due to differences in travel distance between guidance display devices installed at different distances from the store, thereby improving the reliability of the status information displayed on the guidance display devices. As a result, customers can understand the congestion situation at the time of their arrival at the store by taking into account the travel time from each guidance display device to the store.

[0029] Furthermore, the estimation unit 2 may further estimate the number of visitors to each store after a second predetermined time based on the number of visitors measured by a visitor counting device installed in the facility that measures the number of visitors. At this time, the generation unit 3 may generate second status information regarding the congestion status of each store (e.g., "It may become crowded in 30 minutes") based on the estimated number of visitors to each store. The display control unit 4 may display, on the guidance display device, guide map information in which the first status information and second information corresponding to the availability of seats at each store are arranged.

[0030] By configuring it in this way, visitors can be provided with not only the congestion situation after a specified time based on each store's reservation information and waiting list information, but also a congestion forecast that takes into account the number of visitors to the facility, so visitors can understand the congestion situation after a specified time at an early stage.

[0031] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0032] 2 is a diagram showing an example of the overall configuration of a store management system in this embodiment. A facility 21 houses multiple restaurants (hereinafter, stores 22). Each store 22 is equipped with a store terminal 23, an order reception terminal 24, a visitor reception terminal 25, and an information display 26, and is connected to a communication network 16 via a LAN (Local Area Network).

[0033] The store management system 11 includes a user terminal 12, a web server 13, a store management server 14, a facility management server 15, a store terminal 23, an order reception terminal 24, a store reception terminal 25, an information display 26, a floor guide display device 27, and a communication network 16. The user terminal 12, the web server 13, the store management server 14, the facility management server 15, the store terminal 23, the order reception terminal 24, the store reception terminal 25, the information display 26, and the floor guide display device 27 are connected to the communication network 16 wirelessly or via a wired connection.

[0034] The user terminal 12 is, for example, an information communication terminal with a communication function and a camera that is owned or occupied by a user who has reserved or waited for a seat at the store 22, and includes, for example, a personal computer (PC), a smartphone, a tablet computer, etc. The user terminal 12 also has installed thereon an application (hereinafter sometimes referred to as an "app") that reads and analyzes a two-dimensional code captured by the camera, i.e., a two-dimensional code reader.

[0035] The Web server 13 is, for example, one or more information processing devices managed by each company that provides a reservation service. The Web server 13 manages a website for accepting reservations for the store 22, and provides users with a service (hereinafter referred to as a Web reservation service) for accepting reservations for various stores via the website.

[0036] The store management server 14 is an information processing device that has reservation management functions, seat management functions, queue management functions, and order management functions. When the store management server 14 functions as a reservation management function, the store management server 14 is used to realize centralized management (web reservation management) of reservations for stores such as restaurants that are made via multiple websites.

[0037] The store management server 14 (reservation management function) accepts reservations entered at each of the reservation sites of the multiple web servers 13 via the communication network 16, and manages the accepted reservations.

[0038] When the store management server 14 functions as a queue management function, the store management server 14 manages the queue of customers waiting to enter the store 22. The queue of customers waiting to enter the store 22 can be accepted by the store reception terminal 25 or the user terminal 12.

[0039] The store management server 14 (queue management function) acquires reception information when a customer who has come to the store waits for his / her turn, and check-in information when a customer with a reservation comes to the store, from the store reception terminal 25.

[0040] When the store management server 14 functions as a seat management function, the store management server 14 manages seating arrangement schedules and allocated seats based on reservations accepted by the reservation management function and waiting lists accepted by the waiting list management function, and also manages before entering the store, already entered the store, already entered the store, etc.

[0041] The store management server 14 (seat management function) acquires reservation information and customer information whose turn has arrived (turn-arriving customer information), and manages the reservation information and customer information whose turn has arrived in the seat management DB.

[0042] When the store management server 14 functions as an order management function, the store management server 14 is an information processing device that manages the reception and orders of customers who place regular orders (orders at the seat indicated) when choosing to dine in, advance orders, and orders when choosing takeout, at the store 22. The reception and orders of such customers can be received by the store reception terminal 25 and the user terminal 12, respectively.

[0043] The store management server 14 (order management function) can handle, for example, normal ordering, advance ordering, and takeout ordering. Normal ordering is when a customer places an order after sitting down when eating and drinking in a restaurant. Advance ordering is when an order is placed in advance after reception (including waiting for one's turn) at the store reception terminal 25 and before being called when it is one's turn (including after being called). Takeout ordering is when an order is placed after reception (including waiting for one's turn) at the store reception terminal 25.

[0044] For example, in the case of a take-out order format, when a customer who visits a store makes a take-out order, the store reception terminal 25 acquires the reception information and accordingly issues a two-dimensional code to the customer. The customer reads the issued two-dimensional code with the user terminal 12 and performs an operation to order the take-out item. The store management server 14 (order management function) can process the order in response to the order request for the take-out item.

[0045] For example, in the advance ordering format, when a customer who visits a store makes a reservation to eat or drink in the store, the reception information is obtained from the store reception terminal 25, and a two-dimensional code is issued to the customer accordingly. When the customer reads the issued two-dimensional code with the user terminal 12, a call number is notified to the user terminal 12 and an order reception screen is displayed (including cases where the order reception screen is displayed after performing a predetermined operation), so the customer can perform an operation to order a product. The store management server 14 (order management function) can process orders in response to product order requests.

[0046] The store terminal 23 is a terminal for displaying a store management screen that allows store employees to check seat reservations for the store 22 where the store terminal 17 is located, which are received by the store management server 14 as a reservation management function, the waiting status at the store 22, which are received by the store management server 14 as a waiting-line management function, and the availability of seats at the store 22. The store terminal 23 may be, for example, a personal computer (PC), a smartphone, a tablet terminal, or the like.

[0047] The order receiving terminal 24 is used to receive orders from customers. The order receiving terminal 24 is placed at each table in the store 22 and is a terminal that allows customers to place orders themselves, and may be, for example, a personal computer (PC), a smartphone, a tablet terminal, or the like.

[0048] The store reception terminal 25 is a terminal installed at the front of the store 22, and is a terminal that allows customers who visit the store to register their turn to wait, check in to notify that a customer who has made a reservation has arrived, and order takeout products. The store reception terminal 25 may be, for example, a personal computer (PC), a smartphone, a tablet terminal, or the like.

[0049] The store reception terminal 25 is used by customers at the store to input information such as waiting in line to enter the store, accepting takeout orders, and checking in. The store management server 14 accepts the waiting in line information, takeout order acceptance information, and check-in information input by the store reception terminal 25.

[0050] The information display 26 is a display device for displaying the current waiting status to customers waiting in line, and for calling customers when it is their turn to enter the store or when their takeout order items are ready.

[0051] Floor guide display device 27 is a display device that displays a floor map within facility 21, and multiple floor guide display devices 27 are installed within facility 21. Floor guide display device 27 displays floor map information distributed from facility management server 15.

[0052] Each of the store management server 14 and the facility management server 15 may be a server system made up of one or more physical information processing devices, or may be a virtual server system made up of one or more virtual server devices.

[0053] 3 is a functional block diagram of the store management server 14 in this embodiment. The store management server 14 includes a control unit 31 and a memory unit 41. The control unit 31 reads and executes the programs in this embodiment to function as an acquisition unit 32, a reservation management unit 33, a queue management unit 34, a seat ledger management unit 35, an order management unit 36, a guidance management unit 37, and an output unit 38.

[0054] The acquisition unit 32 acquires reservation information from the web server 13. The acquisition unit 32 also acquires order information from the order reception terminal 24. Alternatively, when a customer uses the user terminal 12 to read the two-dimensional code printed on the reception ticket (or the two-dimensional code sent as an image if the customer waits in line online), accesses a website based on the URL (Uniform Resource Locator) included in the two-dimensional code, and places an order from the displayed order reception screen, the acquisition unit 32 acquires order information from the user terminal 12. The acquisition unit 32 also acquires turn-arriving customer information and check-in information from the store reception terminal 25. The acquisition unit 32 also acquires transaction information from a POS (Point Of Sales) system (not shown) and necessary information from the facility management server 15.

[0055] The reservation management unit 33 registers reservations received from the Web server 13 in a reservation management database (hereinafter, the database will be referred to as "DB") 43, and also manages the received reservations.

[0056] The waiting list management section 34 registers waiting list information received from the store reception terminal 25 in a waiting list management DB 44, registers check-in information to be received when a customer with a reservation comes to the store in a reservation management DB 43, and also manages the received waiting list information.

[0057] The seating ledger management unit 35 manages seating allocation within the store for each unit time based on the reservation management DB 43, waiting list management DB 44, accounting management DB 47, a seating inventory management DB (not shown) that manages seat inventory within the store, and a seating type management DB (not shown) that manages seat type information (number of people that a table can accommodate, the environment in which the table is installed (private room or non-private room, etc.), and the type of seat (tatami room, table, sunken kotatsu), etc.), and registers or updates the seating allocation information in the seating ledger management DB 45. The unit time is the unit of reservation slots or seat allocation, such as 10 minutes, 15 minutes, or 30 minutes. The seating ledger management DB 45 centrally manages reservation information for the day, information on customers who have arrived at the store, waiting list information, check-in information (information on customers who have arrived at the store), information on customers who have completed their payment process (information on leaving the store), and seating allocation information.

[0058] The order management unit 36 ​​registers order information in the order management DB 46 in response to order requests (orders for in-store dining (including advance orders), take-out orders) received from the order reception terminal 24 or the user terminal 12, and performs order processing by accepting the order and displaying order instructions on the order management terminal (not shown).

[0059] The guidance management unit 37 calculates the congestion status in the store 22, for example, after a predetermined time from the current time or within a predetermined time from the current time, based on the seat ledger management DB 37. The guidance management unit 37 assigns one of the congestion status statuses (for example, "empty," "slightly busy," "busy," etc.) based on the calculated congestion status value. The guidance management unit 37 reads out the floor map data 48 from the memory unit 41 and assigns the congestion status to the position of the corresponding store in the floor map data 48.

[0060] The output unit 38 transmits the floor map data with the congestion status assigned to the facility management server 15. The facility management server 15 distributes the floor map data with the congestion status assigned to the floor guide display device 27. In addition, the output unit 38 responds to requests from the user terminal 12, the store terminal 23, the order reception terminal 24, and the visit reception terminal 25, and outputs the data to the guidance display 26.

[0061] The memory unit 41 stores a store management DB 42, a reservation management DB 43, a queue management DB 44, a seating ledger management DB 45, an order management DB 46, an accounting management DB 47, and floor map data 48. The reservation management DB 43, the queue management DB 44, the seating ledger management DB 45, the order management DB 46, and the accounting management DB 47 are set for each store.

[0062] The store management DB 42 stores managed store information used by the store management system 11 to manage each store 22 within the facility 21. The reservation management DB 43 manages reservation information for managing reservations made by customers who use the stores. The queue management DB 44 stores queue information for managing customers waiting in line to enter the store. The seating ledger management DB 45 stores seating ledger management information for managing seating allocations on the day. The order management DB 46 is a database for managing order information. The accounting management DB 47 is a database for managing accounting for ordered products. The floor map data 48 is map information for each floor within the facility 21.

[0063] 4A and 4B are diagrams showing examples of the data structures of databases managed by the store management server 14 in this embodiment. Fig. 4A shows an example of the data structure of the store management DB 42, Fig. 4B shows an example of the data structure of the reservation management DB 43, Fig. 4C shows an example of the data structure of the queue management DB 44, and Fig. 4D shows an example of the data structure of the seat ledger management DB 45.

[0064] The store management DB42 includes data items such as "store ID," "store name," "location within facility," and "coordinates within facility." The item "store ID" stores identification information (store ID) that identifies the store. The item "store name" stores the name of the store. The item "location within facility" stores information that characterizes the location of the store within facility 21. The item "coordinates within facility" stores the location coordinates (floor, area, section number) of the store within facility 21. For example, coordinates within facility (4, A, 1) indicate the first section of area A on the fourth floor.

[0065] The reservation management DB43 includes data items such as "Store ID," "Reservation ID," "Reservation Date," "Reservation Time," "Seat Type," "Name," "Number of People," and "Visit Status." The "Store ID" item stores identification information (store ID) that identifies the store. The "Reservation ID" item stores identification information (reservation ID) that manages reservation information. The "Reservation Date" item stores the reservation date. The "Reservation Time" item stores the reservation time. The "Seat Type" item stores the desired seat type (table seat, counter seat, private room, etc.). The "Name" item stores the name of the customer who made the reservation. The "Number of People" item stores the number of people requesting a reservation. The "Visit Status" item stores status information (future store (not yet visited), visited, etc.) that determines whether the customer who made the reservation has visited the store for that reservation. The "Visit Status" item stores "Future Store" as the default.

[0066] The queue management DB 44 includes data items such as "Store ID," "Call Number," "Name," "Reservation Time," "Reception Time," "Check-in Time," "Desired Number of Guests," "Contact Information," "Candidate Seats," "Scheduled Assistance Time," and "Waiting Time (minutes)." The "Store ID" item stores identification information (store ID) that identifies the store. The "Call Number" item stores a number (call number) assigned to identify guests in the order in which they are received (reception order). The "Name" item stores the name of the guest who received the queue or the guest who made a reservation. The "Reservation Time" item stores the time the reservation was made if the guest who received the queue is a guest with a reservation. The "Reception Time" item stores the time when a guest who arrived without a reservation was received. The "Check-in Time" item stores the time when the guest with a reservation arrived and checked in. The "Desired Number of Guests" item stores the desired number of guests specified by the guest at the time of reception (including online reception). The "contact information" item stores the contact information (phone number, email address, etc.) specified by the customer at the time of reception (including online reception). The "candidate seat" item stores the seat number that identifies the candidate seat (candidate seat) to be assigned to the received customer. The "scheduled guide time" item stores the scheduled time at which the received customer will be guided to the candidate seat. The "waiting time (minutes)" item stores the time (e.g., minutes) until the scheduled guide time arrives. Note that the queue management DB 44 may also include a "status" item (e.g., 0: not yet entered (default), 1: called, 2: entered, 3: canceled (e.g., if the call is not answered, it is treated as canceled)) to grasp the status of the customer as a data item.

[0067] The seat ledger management DB 45 includes data items such as "Store ID," "Seat Number," "Reservation / Arrival Time," "Seat Type," "Name," "Status," "Spending Time," and "Reservation / Waiting Status." The "Store ID" item stores identification information (store ID) that identifies the store. The "Seat Number" item stores a number that identifies the seat (seat number). The "Reservation / Arrival Time" item stores the reservation time or the arrival time. The "Seat Type ID" item stores identification information that identifies the seat type (counter seat, table seat, terrace seat, etc.). The "Name" item stores the name of the customer who has made a reservation or visited the store. The "Status" item stores status information on the customer's entry status, such as whether the customer has not yet arrived, has already entered, or has already left the store. The "Spending Time" item stores the stay time of the customer who has made a reservation or visited the store, which is a default value (e.g., 60 minutes, 90 minutes, 120 minutes, etc.) set by the store terminal 17. The item "Reservation / Waiting" stores the reservation ID for customers who have made a reservation, and the call number for customers who have been accepted as waiting in line. For example, if a customer has made a reservation, "R001" is stored, and if a customer has been accepted as waiting in line, "W002" is stored.

[0068] 5 is an example of a seating ledger display screen in this embodiment. The seating ledger display screen 51 includes a store name display field 52, a date specification field 53, a today's reservation display field 54, and a seating ledger display field 55. The store name display field 52 displays the store name. A date can be specified using the date specification field 53. The today's reservation display field 54 displays the number of reservations for today (number of reservation groups) and the number of people making reservations.

[0069] The seat ledger display field 55 displays, for each seat available at the target store (store Z in this case), whether or not a reservation has been made or whether or not a customer has visited the store, in association with each time slot on the date displayed in the date specification field 53. Specifically, the seat ledger display field 55 displays, for each seat, seat slots 56 (56a, 56b, 56c, 56d) corresponding to the time slot for the reservation, etc. The seat slot 56a is a slot that shows the seating status for past seats, for example, the status of a seat slot that has already left the store. The seat slot 56b is a slot that shows the seating status of customers who have accepted a reservation at the current time, for example, the status of a seat slot that has already entered the store (if a reservation has been made). The seat slot 56c is a slot that shows the seating status of customers who have been waiting in line at the current time and have been guided when their turn arrives, for example, the status of a seat slot that has already entered the store. The seat slot 56d is a slot that shows the seating status of customers who have accepted a reservation after the current time, excluding seat slots that apply to the current time, for example, the status of a seat slot that has already entered the store. The seat slots 56 (56a, 56b, 56c, 56d) include the reservation time or entry time - departure time (the departure time is the reservation time or entry time plus the length of stay), status information to identify the seat of a customer who has made a reservation or waited in line and has been guided to when their turn arrives, the customer's name, entry and exit status, number of people, etc.

[0070] A store clerk uses the store terminal 23 to access the store management server 14 and perform an operation to display the seat ledger display screen 51. In response to an operation (display request) from the store terminal 23, the output unit 38 reads seat ledger information from the seat ledger management DB 45 and generates the seat ledger display screen 51 based on the read seat ledger information. The output unit 38 causes the store terminal 23 to display the generated seat ledger display screen 51.

[0071] Variations of examples of this embodiment will be described below. In Example 1, the congestion state in the store a predetermined time from the current time is estimated, and the status of the congestion state is displayed on a floor guide map.

[0072] FIG. 6 is a sequence diagram for displaying floor map guide information with congestion status added in this embodiment (Example 1). The store management server 14 calculates the congestion status of each store a predetermined time from the current time or within a predetermined time from the current time based on the seat ledger management DB 45 corresponding to each store in the seating facility. The store management server 14 converts the calculated congestion status of each store into a congestion status status according to the calculated numerical value. The store management server 14 generates floor map data in which the congestion status of each store is placed at the position of the corresponding store on the floor map guide. The store management server 14 transmits the generated floor map data to the facility management server 15 (S1).

[0073] The facility management server 15 distributes the floor map data transmitted from the store management server 14 to multiple floor guide display devices 27 arranged within the facility (S2). The floor guide display devices 27 display the distributed floor map data.

[0074] FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a floor map adjustment process flow in this embodiment (Example 1). The guidance management unit 37 acquires seating ledger management information from the seating ledger management DB 45 of one store (S11). The guidance management unit 37 calculates the seat availability status for a predetermined time (e.g., 1 minute, 3 minutes, 5 minutes, 10 minutes, 15 minutes, 20 minutes, 30 minutes, etc.) from the current time based on the acquired seating ledger management information (S12). For example, if the seating allocation is managed in 15-minute increments in the seating ledger management information and the current time is 18:00, the guidance management unit 37 calculates the seat availability status based on the seating ledger management information for the time slot from 18:15 to 18:30. During this time slot, 25 of the total 50 seats are filled by reservations (including those already in the store and those not yet in the store), and furthermore, 13 groups (15 people) are scheduled to be seated during this time slot due to waiting. In this case, the value of the congestion status for the time period from 18:15 to 18:30 is calculated as 80% (=(25 people+15 people) / 50×100).

[0075] The guidance management unit 37 sets status information related to the congestion situation based on the calculated seat availability (S13). For example, the guidance management unit 37 sets the congestion situation status to "vacant" when the congestion situation value is less than 60%, sets the congestion situation status to "slightly crowded" when the congestion situation value is 60% or more but less than 80%, and sets the congestion situation status to "crowded" when the congestion situation value is 80% or more.

[0076] The guidance management unit 37 repeats the processes of S11 to S13 for the number of stores registered in the store management DB 42. After repeating the processes of S11 to S13 for the number of stores, the guidance management unit 37 reads out floor map data (unprocessed) 48 from the storage unit 41 (S14).

[0077] The guidance management unit 37 arranges congestion status information for each store on the floor map data (unprocessed) 48 (S15). The guidance management unit 37 transmits the processed floor map data to the facility management server (S16).

[0078] 8 shows an example of a floor guide map displayed on the floor guide display device in this embodiment (Example 1). A floor guide screen 62 is displayed on a display unit 61 of the floor guide display device 27. The floor guide screen 62 mainly includes a floor map display area 63 and a store name display area 64.

[0079] The floor map display area 63 displays floor map data generated by the store management server 14. The store name display area 64 displays the store name corresponding to the store displayed in the floor map display area 63.

[0080] In the floor map display area 63, a store block 65 indicating a store includes a store number 66 and a congestion status 67. The store number 66 is linked to the store name displayed in the store name display area 64. The congestion status 67 displays the congestion status of the store a predetermined time from the current time.

[0081] In the first embodiment, the congestion status is displayed in text, but this is not limiting, and the color of the store block 65 may be changed depending on the congestion status. For example, for a store block 65, if the congestion value is less than 60%, the congestion status may be set to "blue", which corresponds to "empty", if the congestion value is between 60% and 80%, the congestion status may be set to "yellow", which corresponds to "slightly crowded", and if the congestion value is 80% or more, the congestion status may be set to "red", which corresponds to "crowded". Also, the congestion status may be displayed both in text and in color.

[0082] According to the first embodiment, it is possible to easily grasp the congestion status of each store in the facility after a predetermined time. This eliminates the risk that even if a visitor to the facility checks the congestion status of each store displayed on the guidance display device at a certain time and visits a store at that predetermined time, they will not be able to enter the store because all seats are already taken.

[0083] Next, a description will be given of Example 2. In Example 2, the congestion state in the store within a predetermined time from the current time is estimated, and the status of the congestion state is displayed on the floor guide map.

[0084] Fig. 9 is a diagram showing a floor map adjustment process flow in this embodiment (Example 2). Fig. 9 is obtained by replacing S12 in Fig. 7 with S12a. In Example 1, the availability of seats after a predetermined time from the current time is calculated, but in Example 2, the availability of seats within a predetermined time from the current time is calculated.

[0085] The guidance management unit 37 acquires seat ledger management information from the seat ledger management DB 45 of one store (S11). Based on the acquired seat ledger management information, the guidance management unit 37 calculates the availability of seats within a predetermined time from the current time (for example, 1 minute, 3 minutes, 5 minutes, 10 minutes, 15 minutes, 20 minutes, 30 minutes, etc.) (S12a)). For example, if the seat ledger management information manages each seat slot in 15-minute increments and the current time is 18:00, the guidance management unit 37 calculates the availability of seats based on the seat ledger management information for the time period from 18:00 to 18:30. In this case, for example, a case will be described in which one slot in 15-minute increments is treated as one seat. During this time period, 25 seats out of the total of 50 seats x 2 slots (including 1 slot (seats filled between 18:00 and 18:15 or 18:15 and 18:30) and 2 slots (seats filled between 18:00 and 18:30)) are filled by reservations (including those already in the restaurant and those not yet in the restaurant). Furthermore, during this time period, 13 groups (15 people) are scheduled to be seated due to waiting in line. In this case, the congestion level value for the 18:00 to 18:30 time period is calculated as 40% (= (25 people + 15 people) / 100 x 100).

[0086] The processing from S13 onwards is the same as in Fig. 7, and therefore its explanation will be omitted. Note that, for example, if there is an empty slot for a predetermined time (e.g., 15 minutes, 30 minutes, etc.) between two reserved slots for the same seat, even if such a seat is treated as an empty seat during that time period, the restaurant will not actually be able to seat a customer in such a seat. Therefore, if there is an empty slot for a predetermined time (e.g., 15 minutes, 30 minutes, etc.) between two reserved slots, the empty slot may be treated as an occupied slot.

[0087] According to the second embodiment, it is possible to easily grasp the congestion status of each store within a given time period within the facility. Compared to the above case, even if you arrive early, there is no risk of not being able to enter the store because the seats are already taken.

[0088] Next, a description will be given of Example 3. In Example 3, a floor guide map showing the congestion status in the store at the current time and a floor guide map showing the congestion status in the store a predetermined time from the current time are displayed, and are switched at regular intervals.

[0089] FIG. 10 shows an example of a floor guide map displayed on the floor guide display device in this embodiment (Example 3). FIG. 10(A) is a floor guide map displayed on the floor guide display device at the current time. In FIG. 7, the guide management unit 37 acquires seat ledger management information at the current time from the seat ledger management DB 45 of one store (S11). The guide management unit 37 calculates the seat availability at the current time based on the acquired seat ledger management information (S12). After that, through the processes of S13 to S15, the guide management unit 37 generates a floor map on which the congestion status at the current time is arranged. At this time, for example, "Current congestion status" 71 is displayed on the floor map on which the congestion status is arranged.

[0090] 10(B) is a floor guide map displayed on the floor guide display device a predetermined time (e.g., 15 minutes) from the current time. The guidance management unit 37 generates a floor map on which the congestion status for a predetermined time (e.g., 15 minutes) from the current time is displayed by performing the processing of FIG. 7. At this time, for example, "Congestion status 15 minutes later" 72 is displayed on the floor map on which the congestion status is displayed.

[0091] The guidance management unit 37 transmits floor map data in which the congestion status at the current time is arranged and floor map data in which the congestion status at a predetermined time (e.g., 15 minutes) from the current time is arranged to the facility management server 15. At this time, the guidance management unit 37 instructs the facility management server 15 to switch and display the two floor map data at predetermined time intervals (e.g., 15 seconds, 30 seconds, 45 seconds, 60 seconds, etc.).

[0092] Facility management server 15 then switches between the two floor map data at predetermined time intervals (for example, 15 seconds, 30 seconds, 45 seconds, 60 seconds, etc.) and distributes them to each floor guide display device 27. As a result, floor guide display device 27 switches between and displays the two floor map data at predetermined time intervals.

[0093] According to the third embodiment, not only the current congestion status of each store but also the congestion status of each store after a predetermined time can be displayed. This allows visitors to the facility to easily understand not only the current congestion status of each store but also the congestion status of each store after a predetermined time.

[0094] Next, a fourth embodiment will be described. In the fourth embodiment, the floor guide display device 27 estimates the congestion status in the store after a travel time corresponding to the travel distance from the current time to the store 22, depending on the travel distance from the floor guide display device 27 to the store 22, and displays the congestion status on the floor guide map.

[0095] 11 is a diagram showing an example of the data structure of a seat ledger DB managed by the store management server 14 in this embodiment (Example 4). In Example 4, a floor guide display device management DB 81 and a travel time management DB 82 are further stored in the storage unit 41.

[0096] The floor guide display device management DB81 includes data items such as "floor guide display device ID," "installation location," and "facility coordinates." The item "floor guide display device ID" stores identification information (floor guide display device ID) that identifies the floor guide display device. The item "installation location" stores the installation location of the floor guide display device. The item "facility coordinates" stores the location coordinates (floor, area, section number) of the store within the facility. For example, the facility coordinates (1, A, 1) indicate the first section of area A on the first floor.

[0097] The travel time management DB82 includes data items of "Store ID," "Floor guide display device ID," and "Travel time." The item "Store ID" stores identification information (Store ID) that identifies a store. The item "Floor guide display device ID" stores identification information (Floor guide display device ID) that identifies a floor guide display device. The item "Travel time" stores the travel time from the installation location of the floor guide display device to the store.

[0098] 12 is a flowchart for generating a travel time management DB in this embodiment (Example 4). The process in FIG. 12 is performed when a new floor guide display device is installed or when a new store moves in.

[0099] First, the store management server 14 acquires the in-facility coordinates of one store from the store management DB (S21). The store management server 14 acquires the in-facility coordinates of each floor guide display device 27 from the floor guide display device management DB 81 (S22).

[0100] The store management server 14 calculates the travel distance from the installation position of each floor guide display device 27 to the store 22 based on the intra-facility coordinates of the store and the intra-facility coordinates of each floor guide display device (S23). For example, the store management server 14 plots the intra-facility coordinates of each floor guide display device and the intra-facility coordinates of the store on floor map data, and then calculates the travel distance from the intra-facility coordinates of each floor guide display device to the store.

[0101] The store management server 14 converts each calculated travel distance into a travel time and registers it in the travel time management DB 82. For example, the store management server 14 converts a travel distance of 80 m into a one-minute walk. The store management server 14 repeats the processes of S21 to S24 for the number of stores.

[0102] Fig. 13 is a diagram showing the floor map adjustment process flow in this embodiment (Example 4). Fig. 13 is obtained by replacing S12 in Fig. 7 with S31 and S32. The guidance management unit 37 acquires seat ledger management information from the seat ledger management DB 45 of one store (S11). The guidance management unit 37 acquires travel time to the floor guide display device associated with the store from the travel time management DB 82 (S31).

[0103] The guidance management unit 37 calculates, for each floor guide display device 27, the availability of seats in the store after the travel time from the current time corresponding to each floor guide display device based on the seat ledger management information (S32). At this time, a predetermined time may be added to the travel time. Alternatively, as in the second embodiment, the availability of seats within a predetermined time from the time when the travel time has elapsed from the current time may be calculated. The processing from S13 onwards is the same as in Fig. 7, and therefore a description thereof will be omitted.

[0104] According to the fourth embodiment, the travel time to the store can be appropriately adjusted depending on the difference in travel distance between each guidance display device installed at different distances from the store, thereby improving the reliability of the status information displayed on the guidance display device. Therefore, customers can understand the congestion situation at the time of arrival at the store by taking into account the travel time from each guidance display device to the store.

[0105] Next, a description will be given of Example 5. In Example 5, not only the congestion status after a predetermined time based on reservation information and waiting information of each store 22, but also the congestion status of each store 22 taking into account the number of visitors to the facility 21 is displayed on the floor guide map.

[0106] FIG. 14 is a diagram showing an example of the overall configuration of a store management system according to this embodiment (Example 5). FIG. 14 shows FIG. 2 to which a visitor measurement device 91 has been added. The visitor measurement device 91 is a device that measures the number of visitors, and multiple visitor measurement devices 91 are installed within the facility 21. The visitor measurement device 91 may be, for example, a visitor counter using an infrared sensor, a traffic counter (3D sensor), or a vision sensor installed at the entrance to the facility. Alternatively, a method of analyzing the number of visitors using a Wi-Fi access point may be used.

[0107] 15 is a sequence diagram showing a process of displaying floor map guide information with congestion status added in this embodiment (Example 5). The visitor measurement device 91 transmits the measured information (measurement information) to the facility management server 15 (S41).

[0108] Facility management server 15 calculates the number of visitors by aggregating the measurement information transmitted from each visitor measurement device 91, and generates visitor information. Facility management server 15 transmits the visitor information to store management server 14 (S42).

[0109] The store management server 14 calculates the congestion status of each store 22 within a predetermined time from the current time or within a predetermined time from the current time based on the seat ledger management DB 45 corresponding to each store 22 within the facility 21. The store management server 14 converts the calculated congestion status of each store into a congestion status status according to the calculated numerical value.

[0110] The store management server 14 also estimates the congestion status of each store based on the visitor information and historical information of past visitor information sent from the facility management server 15. The store management server 14 generates floor map data that displays the congestion status of each store at the position of the corresponding store 22 on the floor map guide, as well as information (annotation information) related to the congestion status estimated based on the number of visitors. The store management server 14 sends the generated floor map data to the facility management server 15 (S1).

[0111] The facility management server 15 distributes the floor map data transmitted from the store management server 14 to multiple floor guide display devices 27 arranged within the facility (S2). The floor guide display devices 27 display the distributed floor map data.

[0112] 16 is a diagram showing a floor map adjustment processing flow in this embodiment (Example 5). In FIG. 16, S51 and S52 are added to FIG. 7, and S15 is replaced with S15a.

[0113] First, the guidance management unit 37 acquires visitor information from the facility management server 15 (S51). The guidance management unit 37 acquires seat ledger management information from the seat ledger management DB 45 of one store (S11). Thereafter, S11 to S13 are the same as in Fig. 7, and therefore their explanation will be omitted.

[0114] After processing S13, the guidance management unit 37 calculates the congestion level after a predetermined time from the acquired visitor information and the current congestion level of the store based on the history of past visitor information and the congestion level in the store at that time, and generates the calculated information as supplementary information (S52). Here, the history of past visitor information and congestion levels in the store is stored in the memory unit 41. For example, suppose that in the past, when the visitor information was 5,000 people, the store was 80% crowded at 18:00. If the current visitor information is 5,000 people and the store was 60% crowded at 17:30, it can be estimated from the past information that the store's congestion level may reach 80% in 30 minutes. Therefore, the guidance management unit 37 generates supplementary information for the store stating, "It may be crowded in 30 minutes."

[0115] The guidance management unit 37 repeats the processes of S11 to S52 for the number of stores. After repeating the processes of S11 to S52 for the number of stores, the guidance management unit 37 reads out floor map data (unprocessed) 48 from the storage unit 41 (S14).

[0116] The guidance management unit 37 arranges status information and additional information for each store on the floor map data (unprocessed) 48 (S15a). The guidance management unit 37 transmits the processed floor map data to the facility management server (S16).

[0117] 17 shows an example of a floor guide map displayed on the floor guide display device in this embodiment (Example 5). In Fig. 17, supplementary information 92 is arranged and displayed for the stores in the floor map display area 63 of the floor guide screen 62 in Fig. 7.

[0118] According to Example 5, visitors can be provided with not only the congestion situation after a specified time based on reservation information and waiting list information for each store, but also a congestion forecast that takes into account the number of visitors to the facility, so that visitors can understand the congestion situation after a specified time at an early stage. It should be noted that any two or more of Examples 1 to 5 may be combined.

[0119] 18 is an example of a configuration block diagram of a hardware environment of a computer that executes a program in this embodiment. The computer 101 may be a store management server 14, a facility management server 15, a web server 13, a user terminal 12, or another terminal. The computer 101 is composed of a CPU 102, a ROM 103, a RAM 104, a storage device 105, an input I / F 106, an output I / F 107, a communication I / F 108, a reading device 109, and a bus 110.

[0120] Here, CPU refers to a central processing unit. ROM refers to a read-only memory. RAM refers to a random access memory. I / F refers to an interface. The bus 110 may be connected to a CPU 102, a ROM 103, a RAM 104, a storage device 105, an input I / F 106, an output I / F 107, a communication I / F 108, and, if necessary, a reading device 109.

[0121] The CPU 102 reads the program according to this embodiment from the storage device 105, and when functioning as the store management server 14, for example, executes the program as an acquisition unit 32, a reservation management unit 33, a queue management unit 34, a seat ledger management unit 35, an order management unit 36, a guidance management unit 37, and an output unit 38. The ROM 103 is a read-only memory. The RAM 104 is a memory for temporary storage.

[0122] The storage device 105 is a device that stores large amounts of information. Various types of storage devices can be used as the storage device 105, such as a hard disk, a solid state drive (SSD), or a flash memory card. For example, when functioning as the storage unit 41 of the store management server 14, the storage device 105 stores programs according to the embodiments of the present invention, as well as databases and various data stored in the storage unit 41.

[0123] The input I / F 106 can be connected to input devices such as a keyboard, a mouse, an electronic camera, a web camera, a microphone, a scanner, a sensor, a tablet, a touch panel, an information reading device, etc. The output I / F 107 can be connected to output devices such as a display, a touch panel, a projector, a printer, a speaker, etc.

[0124] The communication I / F 108 is an interface such as a port for connecting to a communication network and communicating with other devices. The communication network may be the Internet, a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN), a dedicated line, a wired line, a wireless line, etc. The reading device 109 is a device for reading portable recording media.

[0125] The program for realizing the processes described in the above embodiments may be stored in, for example, the storage device 105 from a program provider via a communication network and the communication I / F 108. The program for realizing the processes described in the above embodiments may also be stored in a commercially available portable storage medium. In this case, the portable storage medium may be set in the reading device 109, and the program may be read and executed by the CPU 102. Various types of storage media can be used as the portable storage medium, such as a CD-ROM, a flexible disk, an optical disk, a magneto-optical disk, an IC card, a USB memory device, or a semiconductor memory card. The program stored in such a storage medium is read by the reading device 109.

[0126] Furthermore, the program may be installed on a stand-alone computer, or may be installed by a cloud computer and provide only its functions to the user.

[0127] According to this embodiment, visitors to the facility can check the location of the store they want to go to by looking at the nearest floor guide display device 27, and can easily understand the congestion status of each store within the facility after a specified time. This reduces the discrepancy that occurs between the congestion status that the visitor has previously understood and the congestion status at the time of their actual visit, and also reduces the risk of problems such as being unable to enter the store.

[0128] This aspect has been described above based on embodiments and modifications. However, the above-described embodiments are intended to facilitate understanding of this aspect and are not intended to limit this aspect. This aspect may be modified or improved without departing from the spirit and scope of the claims, and equivalents thereof are included in this aspect. Furthermore, if a technical feature is not described as essential in this specification, it may be deleted as appropriate. [Explanation of symbols]

[0129] 1. Information processing equipment 2 Estimation part 3 Generation part 4 Display control section 11 Store management system 12 User terminal 13 Web Server 14 Store management server 15 Facility Management Server 16. Communication Networks 21 facilities 22 stores 23 Store terminals 24 Order reception terminal 25. Store reception terminal 26 Information display 31 Control Unit 32 Acquisition Department 33 Reservation Management Department 34 Queue Management Department 35 Seat Ledger Management Department 36 Order Management Department 37 Information Management Department 38 Output section 41 Storage section 42 Store management database 43 Reservation Management DB 44 Queue Management DB 45 Seat ledger management DB 46 Order Management DB 47 Accounting Management DB 48 Floor Map Data 91 Visitor measurement device

Claims

1. an estimation unit that estimates the availability of seats at each store for a first predetermined time from the present based on reservation information of customers of each store received from customers who use the stores located in the facility and waiting information of customers of each store who are waiting in line to use the store without making a reservation; a generating unit that generates status information regarding the congestion status of each store based on the estimated seat availability status of each store; a display control unit that arranges the status information at a position corresponding to the store in guide map information that indicates the position of each store within the facility, and displays the status information on a guide display device installed within the facility; An information processing device comprising:

2. The estimation unit estimates the availability of seats at each store within the first predetermined time period from the present based on the reservation information and the waiting information.

2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

3. the estimation unit estimates, based on the reservation information and the waiting list information, an available seat situation at each store within n hours (n: integer) from the present time and an available seat situation at each store from n hours to (n+1) hours from the present time; The display control unit alternately displays, at regular intervals, on the guidance display device, first guide map information in which the status information corresponding to the availability of seats at each store within n hours from the present and second guide map information in which the status information corresponding to the availability of seats at each store from n hours to less than (n+1) hours from the present.

2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

4. The estimation unit sets the first predetermined time based on walking time information that is set in advance as a time required to walk from an installation position of the guidance display device installed in the facility to each of the stores.

2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

5. The estimation unit further estimates the number of visitors to each of the stores after a second predetermined time based on the number of visitors measured by a visitor number measuring device installed in the facility, the generation unit generates second status information regarding a congestion state of each of the stores based on the estimated number of visitors to each of the stores; The display control unit displays, on the guidance display device, guide map information in which the first status information and the second information corresponding to the seat availability of each of the stores are arranged.

2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

6. On the computer, an estimation process for estimating the availability of seats at each store for a first predetermined time from the present based on reservation information of customers of each store received from customers using the stores in the facility and waiting information of customers of each store who are waiting in line to use the store without making a reservation; a generation process for generating status information regarding the congestion status of each store based on the estimated seat availability status of each store; a display control process for arranging the status information at a position corresponding to the store in guide map information indicating the position of each store within the facility, and displaying the status information on a guide display device installed within the facility; An information processing program that executes the above.

7. The computer estimates the availability of seats at each store for a first predetermined time from the present based on reservation information of customers of each store received from customers using the stores in the facility and waiting information of customers of each store who are waiting in line to use the store without making a reservation, generating status information regarding the congestion status of each store based on the estimated seat availability status of each store; placing the status information at a position corresponding to the store in guide map information indicating the position of each store within the facility, and displaying the status information on a guide display device installed within the facility; Information processing methods.

Images