Delivery management system and program

Abstract

We provide a delivery management system and program that can effectively manage vehicle dispatch. [Solution] In a delivery management system in which a delivery company terminal device, a client terminal device, and a delivery management device are connected to each other via a predetermined communication network, the transport management device includes a display screen that lists the delivery schedule for each delivery vehicle, a display unit that displays the delivery schedule for each delivery vehicle, and an operation status change unit that changes the operation status for each delivery vehicle on the display screen.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a delivery management system and a program.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, in delivery operations including moving, arranging delivery vehicles suitable for the delivery operations (vehicle allocation operations) requires comprehensively judging factors such as the quantity and type of goods, working hours, difficulty of the work, and the position information of each vehicle. Therefore, it has often been performed by a professional operator. Technologies for automating such operator work have been disclosed (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, as described above, various factors need to be considered for suitable vehicle allocation, and it has not been easy to appropriately manage vehicle allocation.

[0005] The present invention has been made in consideration of such circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide a delivery management system and a program capable of appropriately managing vehicle allocation.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] (A1) One aspect of the present invention is a delivery management system including display means for displaying a schedule for delivery for each delivery vehicle on a display screen that displays a list of delivery schedules for each delivery vehicle, and operation status change means for changing the operation status for each delivery vehicle on the display screen.

[0007] (A2) In addition, one aspect of the present invention is a delivery management system described in (A1), further comprising a vehicle information management means for managing vehicle information including the operating status of delivery vehicles, wherein the vehicle information management means changes the operating status of registered delivery vehicles to an operating state or an inoperable state, and the display means displays a list of delivery schedules for each delivery vehicle based on the operating status of the delivery vehicles managed by the vehicle information management means.

[0008] (A3) In addition, in one aspect of the present invention, in the delivery management system described in (A2), the display means activates and displays the schedules of delivery vehicles that are in operation and permits the input of new schedules, and deactivates and displays the schedules of delivery vehicles that are not in operation and prohibits the input of new schedules.

[0009] (A4) Another aspect of the present invention is a program that causes a computer to execute a display step of displaying the delivery schedule for each delivery vehicle on a display screen that lists the delivery schedule for each delivery vehicle, and an operation status change step of changing the operation status of each delivery vehicle on the display screen.

[0010] (B1) One aspect of the present invention is a delivery management system comprising: an operation receiving means for receiving information on whether or not special conditions occur during cargo transport and whether or not such special conditions occur when the cargo is being loaded or when the cargo is being loaded; and a display means for displaying the information received by the operation receiving means in association with whether or not such special conditions occur when the cargo is being loaded or when the cargo is being loaded.

[0011] (B2) In addition, in one aspect of the present invention, in the delivery management system described in (B1), the special conditions include information indicating whether or not there is special transport work, which at least includes whether or not there is transport work using stairs and whether or not there is work that is difficult to handle with normal methods of transporting goods.

[0012] (B3) Another aspect of the present invention is a delivery management system described in (B1) or (B2), wherein the display means displays the content of the special condition and an icon indicating whether the special condition occurs when the goods are shipped out or when the goods are brought in, in correspondence.

[0013] (B4) Another aspect of the present invention is a program that causes a computer to execute an operation reception step that receives information on whether or not special conditions occur during cargo transport and whether or not such special conditions occur when the cargo is unloaded or when the cargo is loaded, and a display step that displays the information received in the operation reception step, in association with whether or not such special conditions occur when the cargo is unloaded or when the cargo is loaded.

[0014] (C1) One aspect of the present invention is a delivery management system comprising: a display screen that lists delivery schedules for each delivery vehicle, a display means that displays the delivery schedules for each delivery vehicle grouped together by predetermined group, and a display control means that displays selection buttons corresponding to each of the predetermined groups on the display screen, and switches the display or hide of the delivery schedules for each delivery vehicle grouped together by predetermined group in response to the operation of the selection buttons.

[0015] (C2) In another aspect of the present invention, in the delivery management system described in (C1), the predetermined group is defined as each delivery base.

[0016] (C3) Another aspect of the present invention provides a computer with a display screen that lists delivery schedules for each delivery vehicle, a display step that displays the delivery schedules for each delivery vehicle grouped together by predetermined groups, and a display control step that displays selection buttons corresponding to each of the predetermined groups on the display screen, and switches the display or hide of the delivery schedules for each delivery vehicle grouped together by predetermined groups in response to the operation of the selection buttons. This is a program that executes [the command / action].

[0017] (D1) One aspect of the present invention is a delivery management system comprising: an operation reception means for accepting reservation operations in units in which the working hours of a day are divided into multiple time slots; and a display means for displaying the time slots for each date and displaying the time slots that have reservations and the time slots that do not have reservations in different ways.

[0018] (D2) In another aspect of the present invention, in the delivery management system described in (D1), the operation reception means acquires information regarding the setting of the division of the time frame, accepts reservation operations in units divided into the set time frame, and the display means displays the time frame in units divided into the set time frame.

[0019] (D3) Another aspect of the present invention is a delivery management system described in (D1) or (D2), wherein the display means distinguishes between time slots with reservations and time slots without reservations by coloring the time slots with predetermined colors or patterns depending on whether or not a reservation is made.

[0020] (D4) In addition, in a delivery management system described in (D1) or (D2), the display means displays the time slots that have reservations and the time slots that do not have reservations in an identifiable manner by changing the shape of the time slots depending on whether or not there are reservations.

[0021] (D5) Another aspect of the present invention is a program that causes a computer to execute an operation acceptance step that accepts reservation operations in units in which the working hours of a day are divided into multiple time slots, and a display step that displays the time slots for each date and displays the time slots that have reservations and the time slots that do not have reservations in different display formats. [Effects of the Invention]

[0022] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a delivery management system and program that can suitably manage vehicle dispatch. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0023] [Figure 1] It is a diagram for explaining the outline of a delivery management system according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] It is a functional configuration diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of a delivery management device according to this embodiment. [Figure 3] It is a first screen configuration diagram showing an example of the configuration of a display screen for setting the operating status of a delivery vehicle according to this embodiment. [Figure 4] It is a second screen configuration diagram showing an example of the configuration of a display screen for setting the operating status of a delivery vehicle according to this embodiment. [Figure 5] It is a flowchart showing an example of a series of processes related to setting the operating status of a delivery vehicle according to this embodiment. [Figure 6] It is a screen configuration diagram showing an example of the display of special conditions performed by the delivery management device according to this embodiment. [Figure 7] It is a flowchart showing an example of a series of processes related to the display of special conditions performed by the delivery management device according to this embodiment. [Figure 8] It is a screen configuration diagram showing an example of the display for each lane on the display screen displayed by the delivery management device according to this embodiment. [Figure 9] It is a flowchart showing an example of the display process for each lane performed by the delivery management device according to this embodiment. [Figure 10] It is a modified example of the first screen configuration diagram showing an example of the configuration of a display screen for setting the operating status of a delivery vehicle according to this embodiment. [Figure 11] It is a diagram showing an example of a setting screen for setting a time frame in this embodiment. [Figure 12] It is a screen configuration diagram showing an example of the display of the presence or absence of a reservation for each time frame on the display screen displayed by the delivery management device according to this embodiment. [Figure 13] It is a screen configuration diagram showing a modified example of the display screen displayed by the delivery management device according to this embodiment. [Figure 14]This flowchart shows an example of the display process for showing whether or not a reservation exists for each time slot, performed by the delivery management device according to this embodiment. [Figure 15] This is a block diagram showing an example of the internal configuration of the delivery management device according to this embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0024] [Embodiment] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the delivery management system and program according to aspects of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that the embodiments of the present invention are not limited to these embodiments, and include various modifications and improvements. In other words, the components described below include those that are easily conceivable to those skilled in the art, and those that are substantially the same, and the components described below can be combined as appropriate. Furthermore, various omissions, substitutions, or modifications of the components can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Also, in the following drawings, the scale and number of components in each structure may differ from the scale and number of components in the actual structure in order to make each structure easier to understand.

[0025] First, the prerequisites for this embodiment will be explained. The delivery management system and program according to this embodiment are mainly used in moving operations. Moving operations broadly include residences, shops, offices, etc. In the following description, when "moving" (or "relocation") is used, it broadly includes moving, changing residences, or relocating. Also, "moving" may sometimes be referred to as "delivery of goods."

[0026] Figure 1 is a diagram illustrating the overview of a delivery management system according to one embodiment. First, the overview of the delivery management system 1 will be explained with reference to the figure. The delivery management system 1 consists of a delivery company terminal device 10, a client terminal device 20, and a delivery management device 30. Although the delivery management system 1 usually includes multiple client terminal devices 20 and delivery management devices 30, the figure shows only one of each for the sake of simplicity.

[0027] The delivery company terminal device 10, the client terminal device 20, and the delivery management device 30 are connected to each other via a predetermined communication network NW. The predetermined communication network NW may be, for example, the Internet.

[0028] The delivery company terminal device 10 is a terminal device handled by a delivery company. The delivery company terminal device 10 registers information such as the dates on which it can accept moving jobs and the scale of the move with the delivery management device 30 via a predetermined communication network NW. This registration process includes registering the vehicles that can deliver, the type of vehicle, the size of the vehicle, and the driver of the vehicle. The results of the registration are registered with the delivery management device 30. The delivery management system 1 accepts moving jobs from clients who request moving jobs based on the information registered with the delivery management device 30. When a moving job is accepted, the information is transmitted to the delivery company terminal device 10, and the delivery company accepts the moving job. Specifically, the delivery company terminal device 10 may be a laptop computer, tablet device, smartphone, etc.

[0029] The client terminal device 20 is a terminal device handled by the client who requests moving services. The client terminal device 20 displays information presented by the delivery management device 30 via a predetermined communication network NW. The client views the information displayed on the client terminal device 20 and requests delivery from the delivery company. It is preferable that multiple delivery companies are registered in the delivery management system 1. The client can select a delivery company that meets their requirements from among the multiple delivery companies registered in the delivery management system 1 and submit a delivery request. Specifically, the client terminal device 20 may be a laptop computer, tablet device, smartphone, etc.

[0030] The delivery management device 30 is a device operated by the system administrator of the delivery management system 1. The delivery management device 30 acquires information from the delivery company terminal device 10 and the client terminal device 20. The delivery management device 30 stores at least a portion of the acquired information in a predetermined storage unit and presents the stored information in response to a request from the delivery company terminal device 10 or the client terminal device 20. The delivery management device 30 also manages and arranges vehicles for moving work. Specifically, the delivery management device 30 may be a server device or the like.

[0031] Figure 2 is a functional configuration diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of the delivery management device according to this embodiment. An example of the functional configuration of the delivery management device 30 will be described with reference to the figure. The delivery management device 30 is composed of an operation reception unit 31, an operating status change unit 32, a display unit 33, and a vehicle information management unit 34. Each of these functional units is implemented, for example, using an electronic circuit. In addition, each functional unit may be equipped with internal storage means such as semiconductor memory or a magnetic hard disk drive as needed. Furthermore, each function may be implemented by a computer having a CPU (Central Processing Unit) and software. In addition, all or part of each functional unit may be implemented using hardware (e.g., circuitry) such as an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), PLD (Programmable Logic Device), or FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array). Furthermore, all or part of each functional unit may be implemented by a combination of software and hardware.

[0032] The operation reception unit 31 receives operations from delivery personnel operating the delivery company terminal device 10. The operation reception unit 31 also receives operations from clients operating the client terminal device 20. The operation reception unit 31 provides information regarding the received operations to the operation status change unit 32. Examples of operations that can be received by the operation reception unit 31 include button operations displayed on the display unit 33 (described later), screen operations such as scrolling, and input operations for predetermined information. In the following description, the operation reception unit 31 may be referred to as the operation reception means.

[0033] In addition, operations performed by the delivery company or the client may be converted into information in a predetermined format and transmitted to the delivery management device 30. In such cases, the delivery management device 30 does not accept direct operations, but either the delivery company terminal device 10 or the client terminal device 20 will accept direct operations. According to this embodiment, the operation reception unit 31 may be provided anywhere in the delivery management system 1, and may be provided in either the delivery company terminal device 10 or the client terminal device 20.

[0034] The operating status change unit 32 changes the operating status of the vehicle displayed in the display unit 33, which will be described later. The decision of whether or not to change the operating status of the vehicle may be based on an operation received by the operation reception unit 31. When the operating status change unit 32 changes the operating status of the vehicle, it changes the display by outputting a change instruction to the display unit 33. In the following description, the operating status change unit 32 may be referred to as the operating status change means.

[0035] The display unit 33 displays a delivery schedule showing the schedule for each vehicle and a display screen showing the order status to the delivery company. The display unit 33 also displays the availability of the delivery company and the estimate results to the client. In the following explanation, the display unit 33 may be referred to as the display means.

[0036] The display unit 33 may specifically be a liquid crystal display or an organic EL (Electro-Luminescence) display, etc. The display unit 33 only needs to be provided in the delivery management system 1, and for example, it may be provided in at least one of the delivery company terminal device 10 or the client terminal device 20 for display to the delivery company or the client. In this case, the display unit 33 provided in the delivery management device 30 can also be called the display control unit.

[0037] The vehicle information management unit 34 manages vehicle information. Specifically, the vehicle information managed by the vehicle information management unit 34 includes the operational status of delivery vehicles. A specific example of the operational status of delivery vehicles, and how the display screen changes when the operational status changes, will be described later with reference to Figures 3 to 5, etc. In the following description, the vehicle information management unit 34 may be referred to as the vehicle information management means.

[0038] [Setting the operational status of delivery vehicles] Next, we will explain an example of how to set the operational status of delivery vehicles using the delivery management system 1 described above.

[0039] Figure 3 is a first screen configuration diagram showing an example of the configuration of a display screen for setting the operating status of delivery vehicles according to this embodiment. The display screen D10 shown in the figure is an example of a display screen displayed on the delivery company terminal device 10. The display unit 33 can also cause the delivery company terminal device 10 to display display screen D10. Display screen D10 can also be a dispatch schedule screen.

[0040] The display screen D10 comprises the symbols D11 and D12 as screen components. Symbol D11 is a monthly calendar. Symbol D11 displays the monthly calendar for the month selected by the user. Specifically, in the illustrated example, the monthly calendar for October 2023 is displayed. Symbol D12 is a date and time management area. Specifically, symbol D12 comprises symbols D120, D121, D122, D123, and D124.

[0041] Symbol D120 is the date and day of the week display section. In the illustrated example, it shows that the date is Sunday, October 22nd. Looking at symbol D11, October 22nd is selected. In other words, the details of the date selected in the monthly calendar of symbol D11 are displayed in the date and time management area of ​​symbol D12. As shown in the illustration, buttons for advancing or rewinding the displayed date may be provided on the left and right of symbol D120.

[0042] Code D121 is the vehicle dispatch identification area. The vehicle dispatch identification area displays a list of each vehicle, including its license plate number, vehicle type, price, and driver name. Furthermore, the vehicle dispatch identification area is equipped with a toggle switch TS. The vehicle dispatch identification area has as many entries as there are vehicles owned by the delivery company. To add a new vehicle, pressing the "Add / Edit Vehicle / Employee" button at the bottom of the screen will take you to the vehicle registration screen (not shown), where you can set and register the detailed information of the newly added vehicle. In the example shown in Figure 3, an example is displayed where a delivery company owns two vehicles: one with license plate number 5211 and another with license plate number 3478. From this figure, it can be seen that the vehicle with license plate number 5211 is a 3-ton truck, and its price (basic usage fee per vehicle) is 200,000 yen. It can also be seen that the drivers of this vehicle are "〇yama 〇suke" and "△ta 〇ko". The "×" mark to the right of an employee's name is a symbol used to delete employee information. Furthermore, it can be seen that the vehicle with license plate number 3478 is a 3-ton truck and its value is 200,000 yen. It can also be seen that the drivers of this vehicle are "〇hara □mi", "△zaki 〇ta", and "〇oka △ichi". This information is displayed by the display unit 33. In other words, the display unit 33 can also display the delivery schedule for each delivery vehicle on the display screen that lists the delivery schedule for each delivery vehicle.

[0043] In the vehicle allocation specific area of the vehicle with vehicle number 5211, the toggle switch TS1 is displayed. In the vehicle allocation specific area of the vehicle with vehicle number 3478, the toggle switch TS2 is displayed. In the display of Figure 3, both the toggle switch TS1 and the toggle switch TS2 are in the state indicating "operation" (operating state).

[0044] The symbol D122 is the vehicle allocation schedule area. In the vehicle allocation schedule area, the schedule of the corresponding vehicle for the current day is displayed when looking in the travel direction. In the example shown in the figure, the schedule from 8:00 to 15:00 is displayed. By operating the scroll bar SB in the left - right direction or by performing an operation such as a swipe on the screen, it is also possible to display the schedule of the time not shown on the screen.

[0045] The schedule of the vehicle with vehicle number 5211 is in the "empty" state within the range from 8:00 to 15:00 shown in the figure. That is, there is no schedule during this period. On the other hand, as the schedule of the vehicle with vehicle number 3478, within the range from 8:00 to 15:00 shown in the figure, there is one schedule between 10:00 and 13:00. This schedule is indicated by the symbol D13. It is shown that the name of the reserving person for the symbol D13 is "〇i 〇ko", the start time is 10:00 - 11:00, and it is a delivery from Ota Ward, Tokyo to Shinagawa Ward, Tokyo.

[0046] Also, a list of working conditions is displayed as an icon ("working condition icon"). As an example of the working conditions, for almost all operations, it is the content that is standardly specified, such as being specified in the morning ( "AM"), being 2 tons or less, being an operation by 3 people, and the size of the luggage capacity being 20 cubic meters or less. The working condition icon represents these contents concisely.

[0047] Furthermore, depending on the structure of the building being moved in and out, and the contents of the goods being transported, special tools may be required for transporting the goods, or the work may take more time and effort than usual. For example, in buildings without elevators, it is not possible to use dollies on the stairs, making transport very time-consuming. Also, in the case of large furniture that cannot pass through the entrance door or corridor, it may be necessary to lift / lower it from a balcony or similar location. When such special conditions occur, in addition to the work condition icons mentioned above, a "special condition icon" will be added to concisely indicate the presence and nature of the special conditions. Examples of special condition icons include "Lifting" if lifting work is required, "Horizontal" if horizontal transport of goods is required, and "Tall" for tower apartments.

[0048] Furthermore, the working conditions icon and the special conditions icon may be distinguished by using different background colors or other methods to make it easier to see whether or not special conditions are present.

[0049] Code D123 is an add / edit button. Operating this button allows you to add or edit vehicles or employees. Code D123 may also be displayed on the bottom line of the registered vehicles.

[0050] The symbol D124 is a button for selecting either the month or the day. Operating this button switches between the daily schedule screen and the monthly schedule screen. In other words, the symbol D124 allows for easy switching between the daily and monthly schedule screens. In the example shown, the day is selected; therefore, the figure displays the daily schedule screen.

[0051] Figure 4 is a second screen configuration diagram showing an example of the configuration of a display screen for setting the operating status of a delivery vehicle according to this embodiment. Display screen D10A shown in the figure shows an example of the display when the toggle switch TS1 is operated to the non-operating state in the display screen D10 described above. An example of the display of a vehicle in an operating state or a non-operating state will be explained with reference to the figure.

[0052] When the operation reception unit 31 receives information that the toggle switch TS1 has been operated to the inactive state, the vehicle information management unit 34 changes the operational status of the registered delivery vehicle to operational or inactive. The display unit 33 displays a list of delivery schedules for each delivery vehicle based on the operational status of the delivery vehicles managed by the vehicle information management unit 34. Specifically, as shown in the figure, when the toggle switch TS1 of the vehicle with vehicle number 5211 is operated to the inactive state, the schedule for that day is grayed out. By graying out, it becomes intuitively clear that no appointments can be made on that day. In other words, the display unit 33 can also activate and display the schedules of delivery vehicles that are in operational status, allowing the input of new appointments, and deactivate and display the schedules of delivery vehicles that are inactive, prohibiting the input of new appointments.

[0053] Figure 5 is a flowchart showing an example of a series of processes related to setting the operating status of a delivery vehicle according to this embodiment. Referring to this figure, a series of processes for setting the operating status of a delivery vehicle as described above will be explained.

[0054] (Step S11) First, the display unit 33 displays the operating status of the vehicle on the schedule screen. The operating status of the vehicle may be indicated, for example, by the color or shape of the toggle switch TS, or by whether the area of ​​symbol D122 is active or inactive. This step may be referred to as the display step or display process.

[0055] (Step S12) If an operation to change the operating status is received at this point, the process proceeds to step S13. Until an operation to change the operating status is received, the process remains at step S12. Note that the operation to change the operating status may also be an operation to switch the state of the toggle switch TS.

[0056] (Step S13) When an operation to change the operating status is received, the operating status change unit 32 updates the vehicle information. Specifically, the operating status change unit 32 changes the operating status for each delivery vehicle. This step may also be referred to as the operating status change step or the operating status change process.

[0057] (Step S14) Subsequently, the display unit 33 displays information according to the vehicle information updated by the operating status change unit 32.

[0058] According to the embodiment described above, the delivery management system 1 comprises at least a display unit 33 and an operational status change unit 32. The display unit 33 displays the delivery schedule for each delivery vehicle on a display screen that lists the delivery schedule for each delivery vehicle. The operational status change unit 32 changes the operational status of each delivery vehicle on the display screen displayed by the display unit 33. By adopting such a configuration, even if there is a sudden change in the operational status of a delivery vehicle, the delivery company can change the operational status on a daily basis on the schedule screen. Therefore, according to this embodiment, dispatch management can be suitably performed.

[0059] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the delivery management system 1 further includes a vehicle information management unit 34. The vehicle information management unit 34 manages vehicle information, including the operating status of delivery vehicles. The vehicle information management unit 34 also changes the operating status of registered delivery vehicles to either an operating or inactive state. The display unit 33 displays a list of delivery schedules for each delivery vehicle based on the operating status of the delivery vehicles managed by the vehicle information management unit 34. By adopting such a configuration, it becomes possible to visually and easily confirm the operating status of each vehicle. Therefore, according to this embodiment, dispatch management can be suitably performed.

[0060] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the display unit 33 activates and displays the schedules of delivery vehicles that are in operation, allowing the input of new schedules, and deactivates and displays the schedules of delivery vehicles that are not in operation, prohibiting the input of new schedules. By adopting this configuration, it becomes impossible to enter schedules for vehicles that are not in operation. Therefore, according to this embodiment, dispatch management can be suitably performed.

[0061] [Display special conditions] Next, we will explain an example of how special conditions are displayed using the delivery management system 1 described above. Previously, as shown at the bottom of the symbol D13 in Figure 3, special conditions such as the presence or absence of an elevator were displayed. However, in order to determine whether the special conditions occurred at the source or destination of the delivery, it was necessary to check the details, and there was a problem in that it was difficult to check on the list screen.

[0062] Figure 6 is a screen configuration diagram showing an example of the display of special conditions performed by the delivery management device according to this embodiment. The reference numeral D20 shown in the figure is a modified version of the reference numeral D13 described above, and may also be the same as the reference numeral D122 shown in Figures 3 and 4.

[0063] Code D20 includes codes D21 to D24 as part of the screen configuration requirements. Code D21 displays the name of the requester. In the illustrated example, it shows that the name is Taro Yamada. Code D22 displays the start time of the delivery work. In the illustrated example, it shows that it is 11:00-14:00. Code D23 displays information about the delivery source. Code D24 displays information about the delivery destination.

[0064] Code D23 comprises codes D231, D232, D233, and D234 as components of the screen. Code D231 indicates that it is the source of transport using an icon labeled "Source". Note that the indication of the source of transport is not limited to the example of an icon and may be done in other ways. Code D232 displays the address of the source of transport. In the illustrated example, the address of the source of transport is Hodogaya-ku, Yokohama City, Kanagawa Prefecture. Note that the address shown is merely an example and does not include a detailed address, but in reality, the address up to the street number may be included. Code D233 indicates the floor number of the source of transport and whether or not there is an elevator using an icon. This icon is labeled "3rd floor". This indicates that the work must be done by stairs (i.e., there is no elevator) and the work location is on the 3rd floor.

[0065] Furthermore, the code D234 indicates that "lifting work" is required at the source of transport, as shown by the special condition icon "lifting".

[0066] Code D24 comprises code D241, code D242, and code D243 as components of the screen. Code D241 indicates that it is a destination using an icon labeled "Destination". Note that the indication of the destination is not limited to the example of displaying it with an icon, and may be done in other ways. Code D242 displays the address of the destination. In the illustrated example, the address of the destination is Fujikawaguchiko-machi, Minamitsuru-gun, Yamanashi Prefecture. Note that the address of the destination may also be described in detail, including the street number. Code D243 indicates special conditions at the destination using an icon. This icon is labeled "E 5th floor". This indicates that the work can be done by elevator (i.e., stairs do not need to be used) and that the work location is on the 5th floor.

[0067] In the explanation using Figure 3, it was stated that a special conditions icon should be displayed for buildings without elevators (buildings with only stairs). However, floor number information is very important for estimating work time regardless of whether there is an elevator or not, so it may be possible to always display it as exemplified in Figure 6, regardless of whether there is an elevator or not. Also, when displaying floor numbers regardless of whether there is an elevator or not, the background color for cases with only stairs (D233) may be different from the floor number display for cases with an elevator (D243) to improve visibility.

[0068] As shown in the figure, this embodiment displays special conditions at the source and special conditions at the destination in an identifiable manner. As in this example, for example, if lifting work occurs at the source (3rd floor) and if lifting work occurs at the destination (5th floor), it is expected that there will be differences in the difficulty of the work and the time required. Furthermore, depending on whether the special conditions occur at the source or destination, it is possible that the necessary equipment and personnel will differ, making this information extremely important. Therefore, as shown in Figure 6, the effect of displaying in an identifiable manner whether the special work occurs at the source or destination is considered to be very significant.

[0069] Figure 7 is a flowchart showing an example of a series of processes related to the display of special conditions performed by the delivery management device according to this embodiment. Referring to this figure, a series of processes for performing the display of special conditions as described above will be explained.

[0070] (Step S21) First, the operation reception unit 31 receives an input operation from the client requesting the move, which provides information about the conditions of the move. The information obtained through this input operation includes whether or not special conditions occur during the transportation of the goods, and whether or not those special conditions occur when the goods are loaded out or when they are loaded in.

[0071] (Step S22) If there are special conditions in the information received in step S21, the process proceeds to step S23. If there are no special conditions in the information received in step S21, the process ends.

[0072] (Step S23) If special conditions exist, the display unit 33 displays whether or not the special conditions received by the operation reception unit 31 have occurred, and associates whether or not the special conditions occur when the goods are being unloaded or when the goods are being brought in. More preferably, the display unit 33 may display the content of the special conditions and an icon indicating whether or not the special conditions occur when the goods are being unloaded or when the goods are being brought in. The special conditions may include information indicating whether or not there are special transport operations, which at least include whether or not there are transport operations that use stairs and whether or not there are operations that are difficult to handle with normal transport methods.

[0073] According to the embodiment described above, the delivery management system 1 comprises at least an operation reception unit 31 and a display unit 33. The operation reception unit 31 receives information regarding whether or not special conditions occur during cargo transportation, and whether or not such special conditions occur when the cargo is being shipped out or when it is being shipped in. The display unit 33 displays the presence or absence of special conditions received by the operation reception unit 31, along with whether or not such special conditions occur when the cargo is being shipped out or when it is being shipped in. By adopting such a configuration, according to this embodiment, if special conditions exist, it becomes easy to recognize whether or not such special conditions occur at the shipping source or at the shipping destination. Therefore, according to this embodiment, it becomes possible to predict the working time and work content at both the shipping source and the shipping destination more accurately, and as a result, dispatch management can be suitably performed.

[0074] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, special conditions include information indicating the presence or absence of special transport work, which at least includes whether or not there is transport work using stairs and whether or not there is work that is difficult to handle with normal methods of transporting goods. By adopting such a configuration, according to this embodiment, when there are special conditions that affect the amount of work, it becomes easy to recognize whether the special conditions occur at the source of delivery or at the destination of delivery. Therefore, according to this embodiment, it becomes easy to recognize whether the amount of work will be affected at the source of delivery or at the destination of delivery. Thus, according to this embodiment, it becomes possible to predict the work time and work content at both the source of delivery and the destination of delivery more accurately, and as a result, dispatch management can be suitably performed.

[0075] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the display unit 33 displays the content of the special condition and an icon indicating whether the special condition occurs when the goods are being shipped out or when the goods are being shipped in, in a corresponding manner. Therefore, according to this embodiment, it becomes easy to visually recognize whether the workload will be affected at the shipping source or at the shipping destination. Thus, according to this embodiment, it becomes possible to predict the work time and work content at both the shipping source and the shipping destination more accurately, and as a result, dispatch management can be performed more effectively.

[0076] [Display by lane] Next, an example of displaying information by lane using the delivery management system 1 described above will be explained. In this embodiment, vehicle information for the same base unit and the schedule of that vehicle (sometimes referred to as a "row" for convenience) are grouped together and referred to as a "lane". In this embodiment, as shown by reference numeral D121 in Figure 3, the information of vehicles owned by the delivery company was displayed in a column direction. Normally, vehicles belong to one of the delivery bases, and there was a problem in that it was not easy to check only the vehicles for some of the delivery bases. Therefore, in the case of a large-scale delivery company with many vehicles, the vehicle information becomes long in the vertical direction, and it becomes difficult to check all the rows at once. Furthermore, this tendency is even stronger in the case of a large-scale delivery company with multiple bases.

[0077] To resolve these inconveniences, it is common practice to sort the displayed vehicles by location. However, this specification makes it even more difficult to display and compare vehicle information from different locations on the same screen.

[0078] Figure 8 is a screen configuration diagram showing an example of the display for each lane on the display screen displayed by the delivery management device according to this embodiment. The details of the display screen D30 will be described with reference to this figure. The display screen D30 is a modified example of the display screen D10. In the description of the display screen D30, components that have already been described with reference to the display screen D10 may be omitted from the description by using the same reference numerals. Specifically, the display screen D30 differs from the display screen D10 in that it has reference numeral D321 instead of reference numeral D121 and reference numeral D322 instead of reference numeral D122.

[0079] In the illustrated example, a state is shown where there are three lanes: Tokyo, Chiba, and Saitama. In this example, the lanes are "per delivery base," but the configuration of the lanes can be freely set according to the operational structure of the delivery company using this system. For example, a delivery company with bases all over the country may set the lanes not by base, but as "Kanto region," "Chubu region," and "Kansai region," and configure the system to form lanes by grouping information from multiple bases by region. In other words, in this embodiment, the display unit 33 displays the delivery schedule for each delivery vehicle in a list on the display screen, grouping the delivery schedule for each delivery vehicle into predetermined groups. The predetermined group can also be said to be per delivery base. In the following description, the predetermined group or group may be referred to as a lane.

[0080] The code D321 comprises one or more codes D33. Code D33 is a lane display / hide toggle button. Code D33 can also be a selection button that selects whether to display or hide a lane. When this button is operated, the display or hiding of the lane is changed. The lane display or hide process is performed by a display control means (not shown). The display control means may, for example, be provided as a display control unit between the operation reception unit 31 and the display unit 33 in the configuration of the delivery management device 30 shown in Figure 2. The display control means may also display selection buttons on the display screen corresponding to each predetermined group, and switch the display or hiding of the delivery schedule for each delivery vehicle for each predetermined group in response to the operation of the selection button.

[0081] In the illustrated example, three selection buttons, D33-1, D33-2, and D33-3, are displayed within code D321. Each selection button corresponds to one of the lanes. Since the configuration of each code D33 is identical, code D33-1 will be described in detail below.

[0082] Code D33 includes code D33A and code D33B as components of the screen. Code D33A indicates, by icon, whether the corresponding lane is currently displayed or hidden. Specifically, in this example, an arrow pointing upwards indicates that the lane is displayed, and an arrow pointing downwards indicates that it is hidden. That is, codes D33-1 and D33-3, with arrows pointing upwards, are displayed, while code D33-2, with an arrow pointing downwards, is hidden. Code D33B indicates information that identifies the lane to which the selection button corresponds. Specifically, code D33-1 is Tokyo, code D33-2 is Chiba, and code D33-3 is Saitama.

[0083] The display / hide status of the lanes can be toggled by clicking or tapping the symbol D33A (arrow icon). In the example in Figure 8, the vehicle information for each vehicle at the "Tokyo" base is currently displayed, but by clicking or tapping the upward arrow of D33A once, D33A changes to a downward arrow, and at the same time, the vehicle information for the Tokyo base is hidden (the lanes for the Tokyo base are switched back to the display state). Then, by clicking or tapping D33A again, the vehicle information for the Tokyo base is switched back to the display state.

[0084] Similarly, while vehicle information for the Chiba base is currently hidden, clicking or tapping the downward arrow once will change the arrow to an upward direction, and simultaneously, the vehicle information for the Chiba base will be displayed (the lanes for the Chiba base will be switched to a visible state).

[0085] At this time, the area to click or tap may be the area indicated by the arrow as described above, or any area within the region indicated by D33, including the location name (the entire D33 is considered as a single button).

[0086] Figure 9 is a flowchart showing an example of the lane-by-lane display processing performed by the delivery management device according to this embodiment. A series of processes for performing the lane-by-lane display processing described above will be explained with reference to this figure.

[0087] (Step S31) First, the display unit 33 displays vehicle information and dispatch schedules in groups. Specifically, as shown in Figure 8, the display unit 33 displays, for example, information on vehicles belonging to each delivery base and the schedule for those vehicles for each delivery base.

[0088] (Step S32) If a selection button as indicated by symbol D33 is operated, the process proceeds to step S32. If a selection button as indicated by symbol D33 is not operated, the content displayed in step S31 is displayed again.

[0089] (Step S33) When the selection button is operated, the lane is switched to be displayed or hidden depending on the operation. "Depending on the operation" may mean, for example, depending on whether the state before the selection button is operated is displayed (for example, symbol D33-1 in Figure 8) or hidden (for example, symbol D33-2 in Figure 8). If the state before the selection button is operated is displayed, the lane is hidden, and if the state before the selection button is operated is hidden, the lane is displayed. The selection button may also be a toggle switch. If the selection button is a toggle button, the display state is determined according to the selection of the button, regardless of whether the previous state was displayed or hidden.

[0090] According to the embodiment described above, the delivery management system 1 comprises at least a display unit 33 and a display control means. The display unit 33 displays the delivery schedule for each delivery vehicle in a list on a display screen, grouping the delivery schedule for each delivery vehicle into predetermined groups. The display control means displays selection buttons corresponding to each predetermined group on the display screen displayed by the display unit 33, and switches the display of the delivery schedule for each delivery vehicle to either show or hide it for each predetermined group in response to the operation of the selection button. By adopting this configuration, it becomes possible to selectively display only the groups that you want to display. In addition, by switching the display / hide on a lane-by-lane basis with a single click, screen switching can be done more quickly than sorting the display by location. This effect is very significant because work speed is important in dispatch operations.

[0091] Furthermore, Figure 3 shows the work schedule represented by symbol D13, and the width of this work schedule is determined according to the estimated time of the work. Each individual work schedule is called a "cassette." When a new work request is received, the cassette representing that request is displayed as "cassette with undetermined dispatch" in the blank space below symbol D11, and then placed on the schedule screen D122 by manual operation by the operator or automatic control by AI, etc. The operator can freely change the dispatch schedule by moving the cassette using drag-and-drop.

[0092] During peak seasons, a single location may not be able to handle all requests, necessitating scheduling coordination across multiple locations. Specifically, a common scenario might be needing to check if a request initially accepted at the Tokyo location can be rerouted to a nearby location. In such situations, being able to check delivery schedules for each nearby location significantly improves usability. Furthermore, it minimizes scrolling when moving cassettes across lanes (drag and drop).

[0093] Furthermore, when moving a cassette across lanes, in the example above, a request received at the Tokyo base would be moved to, for example, the nearby Chiba base. Therefore, for cassettes configured to cross lanes, it would be possible to design the system so that the background color of the cassette changes when the lane change is detected, making it easier to see that the request was received at a different base.

[0094] [Displaying whether each time slot is booked] Next, we will explain an example of how the above-mentioned delivery management system 1 can display whether or not there are reservations for each time slot. In moving operations, accurately understanding the workload of our fleet is extremely important, both for dispatching vehicles and for determining whether or not we can accept new requests. This is because accurately understanding the workload of each vehicle is essential to prevent the workload from concentrating on specific vehicles and to determine whether or not there are vehicles available to allocate new requests.

[0095] However, traditionally, when accepting orders for services such as moving, it is common to accept multiple slots per day. Furthermore, the number of reservations does not necessarily correlate with the level of busyness. This is because even with only one reservation, a request involving a large amount of luggage and a long moving distance may take a full day, while a request involving a small amount of luggage and a short moving distance may allow for 3 to 5 reservations on the same day. Thus, it is difficult to simply predict the level of busyness based solely on the number of reservations, and it has also not been easy to visually determine which time slots are available.

[0096] Figure 10 shows a modified example of display screen D10. In the description of display screen D41, components that have already been described with reference to D10 may be omitted from the description by using the same reference numerals. In addition to the time display, display screen D41 includes a time frame display area D410. In this example, 9:00 to 12:00 is set as "Flight 1", 12:00 to 15:00 as "Flight 2", and 15:00 to 18:00 as "Flight 3".

[0097] Furthermore, in this example, the daily working hours are divided into three time slots, "1st flight" to "3rd flight," but the number of slots does not necessarily have to be three. Also, each transportation company may be allowed to set their own arbitrary number of slots. Moreover, transportation companies may also be allowed to arbitrarily determine how the time slots are divided, such as "what time period constitutes '1st flight'."

[0098] Figure 11 shows an example of a settings screen for setting time slots. This example explains how to divide a day's working hours into three slots, "Scheduled 1" to "Scheduled 3". As shown in the figure, the user can arbitrarily set the start time, end time, and the time intervals that separate "Scheduled 1 and 2" and "Scheduled 2 and 3". In the example shown, a downward-pointing triangle is displayed at the right end of the time display frame. Clicking or tapping this area will display a dropdown menu for selecting time intervals, allowing the user to set the time in increments of 30 minutes, for example. Note that the method of setting the time is not limited to the dropdown format; it may also be done by entering the desired time as text in a text box, or by selecting a line segment separating each scheduled time slot by clicking or tapping and sliding it left or right. The settings made in Figure 11 are reflected in the time slot display area D410 in Figure 10.

[0099] In the examples in Figures 3 and 4, the width and placement of the cassettes were determined according to the start and end times of the work. In the example in Figure 3, based on the content of the received request, the cassettes were placed between 10:00 and 13:00, and the width of the cassettes was also set according to the work time. On the other hand, in Figure 10, the cassettes are basically placed according to time slots. In particular, when cassettes are automatically placed using AI or the like, rather than being placed manually by an operator (hereinafter referred to as "automatic placement"), the cassettes are placed in units of time slots.

[0100] For example, even if a request starts at 9:00 and the planned work time is 2 hours, automatic allocation will place the cassette in the "1st shift" slot. Since the 1st shift time slot is "8:00 to 11:00," this differs from the actual work time, but the vehicle driver and dispatch operator can check the detailed information in the cassette to confirm the actual start and end times of the work. Similarly, if a request starts at 12:00 and the planned work time is 5 hours, the cassette will be placed across the 2nd and 3rd shift slots. In this case, the actual work time is 5 hours, but the width of the cassette will be equivalent to 6 hours, from the 2nd to the 3rd shift.

[0101] As mentioned above, by arranging cassettes in time slots, the actual start and end times of the work may differ from the start and end times indicated by the cassette's time slot. Therefore, dispatch operators and drivers must check the contents of the cassette to understand the exact work time. Furthermore, even for tasks that can be completed in a short time, at least one time slot is reserved, unnecessarily putting pressure on the schedule. In particular, in the case of requests that span the boundary time between flights, it is conceivable that two time slots will be reserved for the schedule even though the actual work time is short.

[0102] Thus, by arranging cassettes on a time-slot basis, unnecessary surplus time is created, and it cannot be said that optimal and waste-free dispatching is being carried out. However, when attempting to accept reservations 24 hours a day, even outside of operator working hours, it can be argued that accepting orders within a safe range with an excessive margin is less likely to cause problems, such as double bookings, rather than accepting an amount of work requests that are actually impossible to handle. Reservations accepted outside of operator working hours may be registered as "provisional reservations." Furthermore, provisional reservation cassettes can be designed with a different background color from regular cassettes to improve visibility. With this design, for example, when operators manually adjust and optimize cassettes that were automatically arranged outside of business hours, such as at night or on holidays, during business hours (for example, by shifting the start times of work requests that span multiple time slots so that they fit into one time slot, or by placing multiple cassettes for short work requests into one time slot), it becomes easier to identify provisional reservation cassettes. Once the operator has confirmed and adjusted (optimized placement) the cassette, its status will change from "tentative reservation" to "confirmed reservation."

[0103] Next, we will explain the monthly schedule screen D40 using Figure 12. Figure 12 is a screen configuration diagram for displaying several days' worth of schedules for each vehicle, in contrast to the daily schedule screens exemplified in Figures 3 and 4. Figure 12 is an enlarged view of a portion of the actual screen for illustrative purposes, but in the actual screen, it is desirable to be able to view schedules in units of at least one week, preferably two weeks, or one month. We will explain the details of the display screen D40 with reference to the same figure. As mentioned above, the display screen D40 is a screen that displays several days' worth of display screen D10 together, and is an example of the screen that appears when "Month" is selected using the display format change button D124 on the display screen D10.

[0104] Symbol D422 differs from symbol D122 in that it displays schedules for multiple dates. In the illustrated example, a portion of the screen is enlarged for easier viewing of details, so schedules for two days, October 22nd (Sun) and October 23rd (Mon), 2023, are displayed. However, in reality, a week's worth of schedules will be displayed in a single horizontal row. Although not shown in the illustration, the monthly calendar of symbol D11 may indicate whether information for the current date is displayed on the current screen.

[0105] Furthermore, code D422 includes codes D422A and D422B for each combination of day and vehicle. Code D422A represents each time slot (three time slots in this example) as explained in Figures 1 and 2, and symbolically indicates whether each time slot is booked or not (available). In this example, the three time slots are filled in if they are booked, and left unfilled if they are not booked (available). Code D422A represents the first, second, and third time slots, respectively, from left to right.

[0106] Figure 12 shows that, specifically, on the 22nd, vehicle number 5221 is already booked for all time slots from the 1st to the 3rd departure times, which can be seen simply by looking at the display on D422A. Similarly, on the 22nd, vehicle number 3478 is booked for the 1st and 3rd departure times, but the 2nd departure time is available. On the 23rd, vehicle number 5221 is booked for the 1st and 2nd departure times, but the 3rd departure time is available. Furthermore, on the 23rd, vehicle number 3478 is already booked for all time slots from the 1st to the 3rd departure times. By displaying whether each time slot is booked or available in a simple format of "filled in or not" for the three time slots, users can intuitively grasp the booking status for each time slot.

[0107] Code D422B shows the details of existing reservations. Specifically, it indicates that on the 22nd, vehicle number 5221 has three scheduled reservations: Reservation 1 to Reservation 3. Although the display section for Reservation 1 to Reservation 3 is omitted, it may contain information similar to code D13 shown in Figure 3. Similarly, on the 22nd, it can be seen that vehicle number 3478 has two reservations: Reservation 1 to Reservation 2.

[0108] In this case, while detailed displays such as the code D422B allow us to know how many reservations are made in a day, it was not easy to know which time slots were available or unavailable. According to this embodiment, by including the code D422A, it is possible to easily know which time slots are available or unavailable.

[0109] Note that the number of filled-in (i.e., booked) slots does not necessarily match the number of reservations. For example, for vehicle number 3478 on the 23rd, all time slots from 1st to 3rd are booked, but there is only one reservation, "Reservation 1". In other words, "Reservation 1" is only one reservation, but it can be understood that it is a reservation for a full day's work without checking the details of the reservation.

[0110] The contents displayed by symbols D422A and D422B are updated according to the information received by the operation reception unit 31. Specifically, the operation reception unit 31 accepts reservation operations in units in which the daily operating time is divided into multiple time slots. The display unit 33 displays the time slots for each date, and displays time slots with reservations and time slots without reservations in a different manner. The display unit 33 may also distinguish between time slots with reservations and time slots without reservations by coloring the time slots with predetermined colors or patterns depending on whether or not there is a reservation.

[0111] In the illustrated example, a case is shown where the daily operating time is divided into three time slots, but this embodiment is not limited to this example. For example, the daily operating time may be divided into two or four time slots. Furthermore, as mentioned above, the time slots can be arbitrarily set using the setting screen shown in Figure 2. In this case, the operation reception unit 31 acquires information regarding the setting of time slot divisions, accepts reservation operations in units divided into the set time slots, and the display means displays the time slots in units divided into the set time slots.

[0112] Figure 13 is a screen configuration diagram showing a modified example of the display screen shown by the delivery management device according to this embodiment. This figure is a modified example of reference numeral D422 shown in Figure 12. In the example shown in this figure, instead of coloring the time slots with predetermined colors or patterns to distinguish whether or not there is a reservation, the shapes are made different to make them distinguishable. More specifically, the display unit 33 can also display time slots with reservations and time slots without reservations in a distinguishable manner by making the shapes of the time slots different depending on whether or not there is a reservation.

[0113] As explained above, by organizing received reservations by time slot, it becomes very simple to understand "which vehicle has a reservation on which day for which flight (conversely, which flight is available)." Of course, this method does not allow for a precise understanding of the schedule, but it can be expected to be sufficiently accurate when getting a rough idea of ​​the busyness of each vehicle. Furthermore, in the example of dividing a day into three time slots, each vehicle is assigned three operational slots per day, so theoretically, the number of operational slots per day for a transportation company can be expressed as "number of vehicles × 3".

[0114] Using this theory, the busyness of each day can be roughly expressed as a percentage, where the "number of booked slots" is the numerator and the "number of available slots per day" is the denominator. Based on this calculation, it becomes possible to display a list on a calendar for each day, for example, if the busyness rate is less than 50%, it will be displayed as "available (◎)", if the busyness rate is between 50% and 70%, it will be displayed as "bookable (〇)", if the busyness rate is between 70% and 90%, it will be displayed as "limited availability (△)", and if it is 90% or more, it will be displayed as "bookable (no available slots) (×)". In this way, it becomes possible to grasp the busyness of each transportation company (or each base) on a monthly basis. In addition, to prevent double bookings, a certain number of slots may be reserved in advance as "surplus slots" on a daily basis.

[0115] Being able to see a list of bookings for a certain number of days, such as on a monthly basis, is extremely useful for customers when deciding on their moving dates. It also offers significant advantages when designing a system to vary the base fee for services based on the level of demand. In moving services and hotel and other accommodation bookings, it is common for base fees to be set higher than usual during peak seasons. However, since peak days need to be set in advance based on past experience, there may not actually be that many bookings on the days designated as peak days, or conversely, there may be an unexpected concentration of bookings on days that were not set as regular days and therefore did not have a surcharge on the base fee. In the latter case in particular, by not properly setting peak days, the opportunity to charge a surcharge has been missed.

[0116] On the other hand, as mentioned above, if the occupancy rate is calculated based on the actual number of reservations, and the base rate is automatically adjusted according to the calculated occupancy rate, then there will be no missed opportunities to collect surcharges. On the other hand, with this method, even on dates that ultimately turn out to be busy days, reservations can be made at the regular rate if booked early. However, if this is explicitly promoted to customers, an incentive to gather reservations early will naturally arise, so it could be said that there is no need to implement measures such as so-called "early bird discounts."

[0117] Figure 13(A) shows an example where all time slots for the day are fully booked. The symbol D422A-1 contains three X symbols, making it easy to visually understand that all three time slots—the first, second, and third—are booked. Additionally, the symbols D422B-1 show bookings 1 through 3, allowing for detailed confirmation of the three bookings.

[0118] Figure 13(B) shows an example where all time slots for the day are not booked. The symbol D422A-2 contains two X symbols and one O symbol, making it easy to visually understand that time slots 1 and 3 are booked, but time slot 2 is not. Additionally, the symbol D422B-2 contains booking 1 and booking 2, allowing for the confirmation of the details of the two bookings.

[0119] Figure 14 is a flowchart showing an example of the display process for the availability of reservations for each time slot performed by the delivery management device according to this embodiment. Referring to the figure, a series of steps for performing the display process for the availability of reservations for each time slot as described above will be explained.

[0120] (Step S41) First, the operation reception unit 31 accepts the reservation operation. The reservation operation includes at least information regarding the time period in which the delivery will be made. The information regarding the time period in which the delivery will be made may directly include information regarding the time slot, or it may be possible to indirectly determine the time slot from the specified time.

[0121] (Step S42) Next, the display unit 33 changes the display of the reserved time slot. At this point, the display of the reserved time slot should have been an indication that it is available for reservation. That is, in the example shown in Figure 12, the time slot should not be filled in, and in the example shown in Figure 13, it should be displayed as O. The display unit 33 changes the reserved time slot by filling it in in the example shown in Figure 12, and changes the display from O to X in the example shown in Figure 13.

[0122] It should be noted that a state where all time slots are fully booked means that reservations cannot be accepted mechanically. Time slots are usually filled with some leeway. For example, if it is difficult to determine whether one slot is sufficient or not, two slots may be booked. In such cases, even if all reservation slots are filled mechanically, reservations can still be made by human judgment. In other words, even if all time slots are displayed as fully booked, the operation reception unit 31 can still accept reservations manually.

[0123] According to the embodiment described above, the delivery management system 1 comprises at least an operation reception unit 31 and a display unit 33. The operation reception unit 31 accepts reservation operations in units in which the daily working hours are divided into multiple time slots. The display unit 33 displays time slots for each date, and displays time slots that have reservations and time slots that do not have reservations in different ways. By displaying in this way, it is possible to visually determine which time slots are filled and which are available among the available order slots. In other words, according to this embodiment, dispatch management can be suitably performed.

[0124] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the operation reception unit 31 acquires information regarding the setting of time slot divisions and accepts reservation operations in units divided into the set time slots. In addition, the display unit 33 displays the time slots in units divided into the set time slots. That is, the division units of the time slots (for example, whether to divide a day into two or three parts, etc.) can be set arbitrarily. Therefore, according to this embodiment, management can be performed in accordance with the wishes and actual situation. Thus, according to this embodiment, vehicle dispatch management can be performed suitably.

[0125] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the display unit 33 may distinguish between time slots with and without reservations by coloring them with predetermined colors or patterns depending on whether or not a reservation is made. In addition, the display unit 33 may distinguish between time slots with and without reservations by differentiating the shape of the time slots depending on whether or not a reservation is made. By adopting such a configuration, it is possible to visually determine which time slots are filled and which are available among the available slots. In other words, according to this embodiment, dispatch management can be suitably performed.

[0126] [Internal structure] Figure 15 is a block diagram showing an example of the internal configuration of a delivery management device according to this embodiment. At least some of the functions of the delivery management device 30 can be realized using a computer. As shown in the figure, the computer consists of a central processing unit 901, RAM 902, input / output ports 903, input / output devices 904 and 905, etc., and a bus 906. The computer itself can be realized using existing technology. The central processing unit 901 executes instructions contained in programs read from RAM 902, etc. The central processing unit 901 writes data to RAM 902, reads data from RAM 902, and performs arithmetic and logical operations according to each instruction. RAM 902 stores data and programs. Each element contained in RAM 902 has an address and can be accessed using that address. RAM stands for "Random Access Memory". Input / output ports 903 are ports for the central processing unit 901 to exchange data with external input / output devices, etc. Input / output devices 904 and 905 are input / output devices. Input / output devices 904 and 905 exchange data with the central processing unit 901 via input / output ports 903. Bus 906 is a common communication channel used within the computer. For example, the central processing unit 901 reads and writes data to RAM 902 via bus 906. Also, for example, the central processing unit 901 accesses input / output ports via bus 906. Furthermore, all or part of the functional units of the distribution management device 30 may be implemented using hardware such as ASICs, PLDs, or FPGAs. Furthermore, all or part of the functional units may be implemented by a combination of software and hardware.

[0127] Furthermore, the functions of each part of each device in the delivery management device 30 in the above-described embodiment may be realized by recording a program for realizing these functions on a computer-readable recording medium, and then having a computer system read and execute the program recorded on this recording medium. The term "computer system" here includes hardware such as an operating system and peripheral devices.

[0128] Furthermore, "computer-readable recording media" refers to portable media such as flexible disks, magneto-optical disks, ROMs, and CD-ROMs, as well as storage units such as hard disks built into computer systems. In addition, "computer-readable recording media" may also include those that dynamically hold programs for a short period of time, such as communication lines used when transmitting programs over networks such as the Internet or communication lines such as telephone lines, and those that hold programs for a certain period of time, such as volatile memory inside computer systems that act as servers or clients in such cases. Moreover, the above-mentioned programs may be for the purpose of realizing some of the functions described above, and may also be programs that can realize the aforementioned functions in combination with programs already recorded in the computer system.

[0129] Although embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. Furthermore, it is possible to use a combination of the above-described embodiments. [Explanation of symbols]

[0130] 1…Delivery management system, 10…Delivery company terminal device, 20…Client terminal device, 30…Delivery management device, 31…Operation reception unit, 32…Operation status change unit, 33…Display unit, 34…Vehicle information management unit

Claims

1. A display screen that lists the delivery schedule for each delivery vehicle includes a display means that displays the delivery schedule for each delivery vehicle, The aforementioned display screen includes an operational status changing means for changing the operational status of each delivery vehicle, A delivery management system equipped with [features].

2. The system further includes a vehicle information management means for managing vehicle information, including the operational status of delivery vehicles. The aforementioned vehicle information management means changes the operating status of registered delivery vehicles to an operating state or an inoperable state. The display means displays a list of delivery schedules for each delivery vehicle based on the operating status of the delivery vehicles managed by the vehicle information management means. The delivery management system according to claim 1.

3. The display means activates and displays the schedules of delivery vehicles that are in operation, permits the input of new schedules, and deactivates and displays the schedules of delivery vehicles that are not in operation, prohibiting the input of new schedules. The delivery management system according to claim 2.

4. On the computer, The display screen shows a list of delivery schedules for each delivery vehicle, and includes a display step that shows the delivery schedule for each delivery vehicle. The aforementioned display screen includes an operational status change step for changing the operational status of each delivery vehicle, A program that executes the command.

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