Schedule editing system, schedule editing method, and program

Abstract

To enable efficient editing of schedules that include tasks to be performed multiple times in a relatively short period of time. [Solution] The schedule editing system 100 edits a schedule containing any number of scheduled appointments. The group setting unit 114 automatically creates a group of scheduled appointments when it detects that there are two or more scheduled appointments in the schedule to be edited that satisfy predetermined grouping conditions. The grouping conditions are that the executor is the same, the attributes set for the execution target are the same, and predetermined conditions regarding the variation in start times are met. The batch editing operation reception unit 115 receives a batch editing operation for the scheduled appointments belonging to the group created by the group setting unit 114, and the batch editing unit 116 edits the scheduled appointments belonging to the group in a batch in response to the batch editing operation.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a schedule editing system, a schedule editing method, and a program.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, in a schedule editing system for editing schedules, it is known to associate a plurality of schedules so that when one of the schedules is changed, the contents of the related schedules can also be changed. Patent Document 1 describes associating a plurality of schedules selected by a user and checking whether the related schedules need to be changed when one of them is changed. Patent Document 2 describes associating a plurality of schedules with a related mark and, when the date of a certain schedule is changed, shifting the dates of the schedules associated with that schedule by the same number of days.

[0003] Patent Document 3 describes registering a plurality of users' schedules by attaching the same total schedule number at the time of schedule registration, and when the schedule of one of the users is changed, simultaneously changing the schedules of the other related users. Patent Document 4 describes associating regularly occurring, periodic schedules with a regular schedule number and collectively modifying / deleting the associated schedules. Patent Document 5 describes that when a schedule that overlaps in time with a registered schedule is input, the user is asked for confirmation and the schedules are associated.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Patent Document 3

[0005] By the way, schedules edited using a schedule editing system sometimes include appointments where tasks are performed many times in a relatively short period of time. For example, in care services, "regular rounds" often involve one staff member being responsible for multiple clients. In this case, the schedule of the staff member engaged in regular rounds may include tasks that involve providing services to multiple clients at slightly staggered times.

[0006] Providing services to each user involves different tasks, so we wanted to edit them individually. However, if we were to edit all tasks completely independently, there was a problem: for example, if we wanted to shift the execution times of a series of "periodic patrols," we would have to change the execution time of each task individually, which would be cumbersome.

[0007] In contrast, the technologies described in Patent Documents 1 to 4 link related appointments that are relatively far apart in time or appointments that multiple people perform simultaneously, and are therefore not suitable for solving this problem. Patent Document 5 does not disclose anything that particularly contributes to improving the efficiency of editing multiple linked appointments. Furthermore, the problems described above can similarly occur when editing schedules used in fields other than care services.

[0008] This invention has been made in view of these circumstances, and aims to enable efficient editing of schedules that include plans to perform tasks multiple times in a relatively short period of time. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] To achieve the above objectives, the schedule editing system of this invention is configured by one computer or multiple cooperating computers and includes a schedule editing unit that edits a schedule containing any number of scheduled information in response to user operations, wherein each of the scheduled information includes performer information indicating the performer who will perform the action indicated by the scheduled information, time information including the start time of the action, and target information indicating the target of the action.

[0010] The above schedule editing system comprises: an attribute acquisition unit that acquires attributes set for the execution target; a group setting unit that automatically creates a group of scheduled information when it detects that there are two or more scheduled information items among the scheduled information items to be edited that satisfy predetermined grouping conditions, and the grouping conditions are that the executor is the same, the attributes set for the execution target are the same, and predetermined conditions regarding the variation in start times are met; a batch editing operation reception unit that accepts batch editing operations for scheduled information belonging to the group created by the group setting unit; and a batch editing unit that batch edits the scheduled information belonging to the group in response to the editing operations received by the batch editing operation reception unit.

[0011] In such a schedule editing system, each of the above-mentioned schedule pieces includes information on the possible start time range, which is the time range in which the above-mentioned start time can be set, and a predetermined condition regarding the variation in the above-mentioned start time is that the above-mentioned possible start time range is common. Alternatively, the predetermined condition regarding the variation in the start times may be that the start times belong to the same time period within a time period defined in predetermined time units based on a predetermined reference time.

[0012] Furthermore, in each of the above-mentioned schedule editing systems, it is preferable that the attribute set for the execution target is area information indicating the location where the execution target exists. Alternatively, the attributes set for the execution target may be relationship information indicating the relationships between multiple execution targets.

[0013] Furthermore, in each of the above schedule editing systems, the batch editing operation is an operation to change the start time, and the batch editing unit should, in response to the operation to change the start time, edit all the start times of the scheduled information belonging to the above group by the same amount of time. Alternatively, the above batch editing operation may be an operation to change the executor, and the above batch editing unit may perform an edit to change the executor of all scheduled information belonging to the above group to the same content in response to the operation to change the executor.

[0014] Furthermore, in each of the above-mentioned schedule editing systems, if the group setting unit has created a group and then found new schedule information that satisfies the grouping conditions by comparing it with all the schedule information belonging to that group, it is preferable to add the newly found schedule information to the group.

[0015] Furthermore, each of the above schedule editing systems is provided with a specific operation unit that accepts specific editing operations for each schedule piece belonging to a group created by the group setting unit, such that the schedule piece no longer satisfies the grouping conditions. When an operation to the specific operation unit is detected, the schedule editing unit performs the specific editing on the schedule piece corresponding to the specific operation unit, and the group setting unit removes the schedule piece corresponding to the specific operation unit from the group.

[0016] Also, in each of the above schedule editing systems, the edited schedule is presented on the screen of the display. For each executor, a column is created, and for multiple executors, the schedule information is arranged along a common time axis. Un-grouped schedule information is represented by icons for each piece of schedule information, and grouped schedule information is represented by icons for each group. A first display control unit is provided to display them. A second display control unit is provided to display, in a part of the screen other than the columns for each executor, the content of each piece of schedule information belonging to the group corresponding to the selected icon in response to the selection of the icon for each group. A third display control unit is provided to display, in a column parallel to the columns for each executor in the screen, an icon indicating schedule information for which no executor is determined along the common time axis. The batch editing operation reception unit receives an operation of moving the icon for each group to a column for another executor or a column for schedule information for which no executor is determined as the batch editing operation that changes the executor to the content corresponding to the column after the move. The batch editing unit may perform an editing operation to change all the executors of all the schedule information belonging to the group corresponding to the operated icon to the content corresponding to the column after the move according to the batch editing operation.

[0017] As described above, the present invention can be implemented not only as the invention of the above system but also in any form such as an apparatus, a method, a program, a recording medium recording the program, etc.

Effect of the Invention

[0018] According to the present invention as described above, a schedule including a plan to execute a task multiple times within a relatively short time can be efficiently edited.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0019] [Figure 1] This is a diagram for explaining the arrangement of a schedule editing system and related devices in an operation according to an embodiment of this invention. [Figure 2] This is a diagram showing the hardware configuration of the schedule editing system 100 shown in FIG. 1. [Figure 3]Figure 1 is a functional block diagram showing the configuration of the functions related to editing and displaying schedules in the schedule editing system. [Figure 4] Figure 3 shows the configuration of the schedule information 121. [Figure 5] Figure 3 shows the configuration of the staff list 122. [Figure 6] This figure shows the configuration of the user list 123 shown in Figure 3. [Figure 7] This figure shows an example of information registered in user list 123. [Figure 8] This figure shows a specific example of schedule information 121. [Figure 9] This figure shows an example of how a schedule is displayed in the schedule editing system 100. [Figure 10] This is a flowchart of the processes that the schedule editing system 100 executes in response to the display instructions on the schedule screen 200. [Figure 11] Similarly, this is a flowchart of the processing that occurs in response to the group selection operation on the schedule screen 200. [Figure 12] Similarly, this is a flowchart of the process that follows when an event icon is moved. [Figure 13] Similarly, this is a flowchart of the process that occurs in response to the movement operation of group icons. [Figure 14] Similarly, this is a flowchart of the processing that occurs in response to the operation of a specific control unit. [Figure 15] This figure shows the configuration of schedule information 121 in a modified example of the schedule editing system of this invention. [Figure 16] This figure shows the difference between the process performed by the modified schedule editing system in response to the display instructions on schedule screen 200 and the process shown in Figure 10. [Figure 17] This figure shows an example of grouping schedules according to the modified example. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0020] The embodiments of this invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. First, Figure 1 shows the arrangement of a schedule editing system and related devices, which are one embodiment of this invention. Figure 2 shows the hardware configuration of the schedule editing system 100 of Figure 1.

[0021] The schedule editing system 100 shown in Figure 1 is an embodiment of the schedule editing system of this invention, but a system including a user terminal 300 is also an embodiment of the schedule editing system of this invention. The schedule editing system 100 is a system that provides a function to edit the schedules of staff to service providers who visit clients to provide services (hereinafter referred to as "visiting service providers"). In this embodiment, the services provided are assumed to be, for example, medical, nursing, and care services.

[0022] A visiting service provider, who is a user of the schedule editing system 100, accesses the schedule editing system 100 via the internet N from their own user terminal 300 and uses its services. Figure 1 shows multiple user terminals 300-1 to y, which indicates that multiple visiting service providers can each use the schedule editing system 100 independently. In the following explanation, 300 will be used as the code for user terminals when it is not necessary to distinguish between individual terminals.

[0023] As shown in Figure 2, the schedule editing system 100 can be configured as a computer (information processing device) in which a processor 101, memory 102, storage 103, a communication interface 104 for communication via the Internet N, etc., an operation unit 105 for receiving operations from the operator, and a display unit 106 for displaying information to the operator are connected by a communication path 107 such as a system bus. The system may also be configured by distributing the necessary functions among multiple computers that can communicate with each other. This basic configuration is the same for the user terminal 300.

[0024] The user terminal 300 is a computer operated by an individual, such as a personal computer (PC), tablet computer, or smartphone. However, it is not prohibited to have multiple terminals per business operator, and for these terminals to be able to use the schedule editing system 100 by referring to common data (such as the schedule information 121 to user list 123 shown in Figure 3). In this case, the data storage location can be arbitrarily determined, such as a server in the user environment, storage in a cloud environment, or storage provided within the schedule editing system 100.

[0025] Furthermore, the schedule editing system 100 may be operated by the visiting service provider itself, so the schedule editing system 100 and the user terminal 300 may be in the same environment, or they may be integrated as hardware with one of the user terminals 300. The functions of the schedule editing system 100 may also be realized by multiple computers working together.

[0026] The following describes the configuration of the functions that the schedule editing system 100 provides in order to deliver schedule editing functionality, as well as examples of data, algorithms, screens, etc., used to realize those functions, with reference to Figure 3 and subsequent figures.

[0027] Figure 3 is a functional block diagram showing the configuration of the functions of the schedule editing system 100 shown in Figure 1, focusing on functions related to schedule editing and display. Figures 4 through 8 show the data structure or specific examples used by each component shown in Figure 3.

[0028] The functions of each component shown in Figure 3 can be realized by the processor 101 of the schedule editing system 100 executing the required program to control the required hardware. This program may be arbitrarily installed and uninstalled. Furthermore, it is not prohibited to realize all or part of the functions shown in Figure 3 using dedicated hardware. Furthermore, it is not prohibited to realize all or part of the functions shown in Figure 3 using resources from external devices, such as a cloud environment.

[0029] As shown in Figure 3, the schedule editing system 100 includes the functions of a schedule editing unit 110, which includes a display control unit 111, an individual editing operation reception unit 112, an individual editing unit 113, a group setting unit 114, a batch editing operation reception unit 115, a batch editing unit 116, and a specific editing operation reception unit 117, as functions related to editing and displaying schedules. Each of these units performs its function while referring to the schedule information 121, staff list 122, and user list 123.

[0030] The display control unit 111 has a function to create data for a schedule screen 200, as described later using Figure 9, for displaying the schedule to be edited indicated by the schedule information 121 and its editing results, and to display it on an appropriate display device. The display can also be performed on an external user terminal 300.

[0031] The individual editing operation reception unit 112 has the function of accepting operations such as adding, deleting, and modifying appointments for each appointment in the schedule to be edited. These operations can be accepted, for example, on the schedule screen 200, which is a GUI (Graphical User Interface). The individual editing unit 113 has the function of a schedule editing unit that edits the schedule information 121 according to the operation received by the individual editing operation reception unit 112.

[0032] The group setting unit 114 has a function that automatically creates a group of appointments when it detects that there are two or more appointments in the schedule to be edited that satisfy predetermined grouping conditions, based on the appointment information of each appointment included in the schedule information 121. The grouping of appointments can also be understood as the grouping of appointment information that indicates the content of the appointment.

[0033] In the example described here, the grouping conditions are that all of the following (1) to (3) must be met. Condition (3) is an example of a condition related to the variability of the start time. (1) Common to all executors (2) The attributes set for the target of execution are common (3) Information on the time range in which the scheduled start time can be set is common. This point will be discussed later, with reference to Figures 4 and 8, etc. Furthermore, when the group setting unit 114 determines whether or not to group the scheduled information according to these grouping conditions, it obtains information on the attributes of the users who are the targets of the actions indicated by the scheduled information from the user list 123 and uses this information for this determination. Obtaining these attributes falls under the function of the attribute acquisition unit.

[0034] The batch editing operation reception unit 115 has the function of receiving batch editing operations for appointments belonging to a group created by the group setting unit 114. This operation can be received on the schedule screen 200, just like editing operations for individual appointments. The batch editing unit 116 has the function of editing the schedule information 121 according to the operations received by the batch editing operation reception unit 115.

[0035] The specific editing operation reception unit 117 has the function of receiving specific editing operations for each schedule belonging to a group created by the group setting unit 114, such that the schedule no longer satisfies the grouping conditions. This operation can be received on the schedule screen 200 by a dedicated operation unit provided in association with each schedule belonging to the group. This operation unit will be described later with reference to Figure 9, etc.

[0036] In addition to the above, the schedule editing system 100 also includes a communication unit 130 that communicates with external devices such as user terminals 300 to send screen data and receive operation data indicating the operations received on the screen.

[0037] Next, Figures 4 to 6 show the configurations of schedule information 121, staff list 122, and user list 123, respectively. The schedule information 121 shown in Figure 4 is information that indicates the content of a single schedule edited by the schedule editing system 100, and is, for example, information that defines a schedule for multiple people spanning multiple days, as shown in Figure 9.

[0038] This schedule information 121 contains any number of appointment information P (n items from P1 to Pn in the example in Figure 4), and each appointment information P represents the content of one appointment included in the schedule. Each schedule information P includes information such as the schedule ID, date, possible start time, start time, end time, assigned staff ID, target user ID, service provided, and display settings data.

[0039] Of these, the schedule ID is identification information used to identify a schedule or schedule information P. When creating schedule information P, it is conceivable to automatically assign an ID that does not overlap with other schedule information P. The date indicates the day on which the relevant plan will be carried out. The available start time range indicates the time range within which the start time of the relevant event can be set. The start time and end time are time information indicating the start and end times of the relevant scheduled event, respectively.

[0040] The assigned staff ID is the executor information that indicates the person who will carry out the relevant schedule. In this example, the executor is specified by the staff ID in staff list 122. In schedules edited by visiting service providers, this executor is assumed to be the person in charge of providing the service. The target user ID is the target information that indicates the person who will perform the action indicated by the relevant scheduled information P (in this case, the service defined in "Provided Service" below). In this example, the target person is specified by the user ID in user list 123. In the schedule edited by the visiting service provider, this target person is assumed to be a user of the service.

[0041] The "Services Provided" section contains information indicating the content of the services to be provided to the user indicated by the user ID. This information can be individually written by the operator in text format, or it can be entered by selecting from a separately prepared service menu. The duration of the service can also be included in this service information, and the end time can be automatically set to the time after the start time plus the duration of the service.

[0042] The display settings data specifies the display format for the schedule information P when displaying the schedule information 121 on the schedule screen 200. This may include defining the color and pattern of icons, the font size and format of text, and the priority order when displaying multiple schedules.

[0043] Here, we will further explain the relationship between the start time and the start period among the information above. From the perspective of a home-visit service provider, they are often constrained by contracts with clients or specifications made at the time of ordering, such as having to start providing services between a certain time. Information on possible start times is provided to allow home-visit service providers to easily create schedules that comply with these constraints.

[0044] One way in which the schedule editing system 100 is used is that, when editing a schedule, the operator first creates schedule information P based on contract and order information, including the target user ID, date, service to be provided, and available start time slots, as information on the services that the visiting service provider should provide to each user within a specified period. Then, the operator assigns each schedule to the responsible staff member and sets an appropriate start time within the available start time slots to complete the schedule.

[0045] Assigning each scheduled task to a staff member and setting the start time could be done automatically based on available start times, each staff member's working hours, skills, etc., but it could also be done manually by an operator or by correcting the results of the automatic assignment. In this case, the schedule editing system 100 will warn the operator by displaying a message or changing the color of an icon if the operator attempts to set a start time that contradicts the available start times. This prevents the operator from mistakenly setting a schedule that differs from the contract or order when manually assigning or correcting tasks. Of course, by referring to the available start times during automatic scheduling, the system can also automatically create a schedule that matches the content of the contract or order.

[0046] The staff list 122 shown in Figure 5 is information that defines the options for the person who will carry out the appointments included in the schedule being edited. From the perspective of a visiting service provider, this corresponds to a list of staff members who will be responsible for providing the service. This staff list 122 contains any number of staff data E (n1 in the example in Figure 5, E1 to En1), and each staff data E represents information about one staff member (executor). Each staff data entry E includes information such as staff ID, name, qualifications, skills, working hours, and holiday information.

[0047] Of these, the staff ID is identification information used to identify staff members. When creating staff data E, it is conceivable to automatically assign an ID that does not overlap with other staff data. The name is the string representing the staff member's name as shown in staff data E. In this example, this information is used to display the corresponding field for the staff member on schedule screen 200. Qualifications, skills, working hours, and holiday information are examples of information about the relevant staff member. This information is used as a constraint when automatically assigning schedules to each staff member, or as a reference when manually assigning schedules.

[0048] The user list 123 shown in Figure 6 is information that defines the options for the actions to be performed by the scheduled actions included in the editing schedule. From the perspective of the visiting service provider, this corresponds to the list of users to whom the service is provided. This user list 123 contains an arbitrary number of user data V (n2 in the example in Figure 6, V1 to Vn2), and each user data V represents information about one user (the target of execution).

[0049] Each user data V includes information such as user ID, name, address, relationship attributes, location attributes, and contract details. Of these, the user ID is identification information used to identify a user. When creating user data V, it is conceivable to automatically assign an ID that does not overlap with other user data. The name is the string representing the user's name as shown in user data V. In this example, this information is used to display the appointment icon shown in appointment information P on the schedule screen 200. The address is the address of the location where the service is provided to the user indicated by user data V. In other words, it is information indicating the location where the target of the action indicated by the schedule exists.

[0050] Relationship attributes are relationship information that indicates the relationship between multiple users. For example, if one user and another user are a married couple, it is conceivable that their relationship can be indicated by setting a common couple ID as a relationship attribute for both users. These relationship attributes can be used to determine whether the grouping condition "the attributes set for the execution target are common" is met. This condition is set up to determine whether it is preferable to provide services in close proximity.

[0051] In the case of married couples, they often live in the same place, and when providing services to both of them, it is considered efficient to provide the services to both of them consecutively. Therefore, by setting common attributes in advance, this point can be easily identified by those attributes. From this perspective, even if a couple lives separately, it may be considered not to set a relationship attribute indicating that they are married. Conversely, for relationships other than marriage, such as siblings, common relationship attributes may be set if they live together or on the same property. The above relationship attributes may be automatically set by referring to other databases where relationships between users, such as family structure, are registered, or they may be manually set by an operator for each user.

[0052] Location attributes are area information that indicates the location where a user resides. For example, by setting a common area ID as a location attribute for users with the same address, it can be indicated that service can be provided in the same area. These location attributes can also be used to determine whether the grouping condition "the attributes set for the execution target are common" is met. In other words, location attributes, like relationship attributes, are used to determine whether it is preferable to provide service in a time period that is close to the user's location.

[0053] Therefore, even if the addresses are not exactly the same, if they are close enough that it is desirable to provide services at similar times due to factors such as easy travel, it is conceivable to set a common area ID as a location attribute. In the case of apartment buildings or welfare facilities, it is also conceivable to set a common area ID as a location attribute if the addresses are on the same floor, even if the room numbers are different.

[0054] The above location attributes could be automatically set by calculating the distance and travel time between addresses using map information services, etc., and then assigning a common area ID to addresses that are considered easily accessible based on the results. Alternatively, criteria could be predetermined, such as assigning a common area ID if the difference in street numbers is within a certain limit, or if the building is the same but the difference in room numbers is within a certain limit, and the system could automatically set the area ID by comparing each user's address based on these criteria. Furthermore, an operator could manually enter the information for each user.

[0055] The contract details are information regarding the contract between the visiting service provider who edits the schedule and the user who is the recipient of the service, concerning the services to be provided. This information can be used to automatically generate schedule information P before determining the assigned staff and start time, or to refer to as needed when manually creating or editing schedule information P. At a minimum, it is preferable to register information on the services to be provided to the user and the available start times as part of this contract details in the user list 123, or to make it separately accessible using the user ID as the key.

[0056] Next, Figure 7 shows an example of the information registered in user list 123. In the example in Figure 7, the user ID is a sequential ID that is automatically assigned when the user registers. The name, address, and contract details may be entered by an operator or automatically based on data provided by a system that manages application acceptance and contract terms.

[0057] In terms of relationship attributes, the relationship between user ID=1 and user ID=2, who are a married couple, is set as "A-yama Couple". There are no other notable relationships between the other users, so no relationship attributes have been set for them. In terms of location attributes, users with IDs 1 through 3 have addresses that differ by only one digit, so they are considered to be in close proximity and are assigned the same area, "Address #1". User with ID 4 has an address considerably farther away from users with IDs 1 through 3, so they are assigned "Address #2", which indicates a different area.

[0058] Furthermore, since users IDs 11 through 14 all share the same address on the same floor of the same apartment building, they are considered to be in close proximity to each other and are assigned the same location attribute, "Apartment X, 1st Floor." User ID 15 lives in the same apartment building as users IDs 11 through 14, but on a different floor. In this example, based on the judgment that there is less need to provide services to users in close proximity to IDs 11 through 14, user ID 15 is assigned the location attribute "Apartment X, 3rd Floor," indicating a different area.

[0059] The criteria for determining whether different location attributes should be assigned based on the distance or difference in addresses can be arbitrarily determined by the visiting service provider editing the schedule, depending on the nature and content of the services provided. There is no need to establish clear criteria when setting location attributes manually. The same applies to determining whether common relationship attributes should be assigned to users with different relationships. Furthermore, as for each attribute, in the example in Figure 7, meaningful text such as "Mr. and Mrs. Ayama" or "Apartment X, 1st Floor" may be set, or an identifier that does not have any particular meaning in itself, such as "Address #1," may be set. When grouping, it is sufficient to determine whether the attributes set for multiple users are common or not.

[0060] Next, Figure 8 shows a specific example of schedule information 121. In the example in Figure 8, the schedule ID is a sequential ID that is automatically set when the schedule is registered. The date, available start time, target user ID, and services provided can be entered by the operator or automatically based on data provided by a system that manages service application acceptance and contract terms. Furthermore, the target user ID data identifies the user who is the target of the service related to the relevant schedule, based on the user ID in the user list 123 shown in Figure 7.

[0061] The start time, end time, and assigned staff ID can be entered by the operator or automatically assigned to the staff member. The assigned staff ID data is used to identify the staff member performing the service related to the schedule, based on the staff ID in staff list 122. Note that some appointments, like the one with ID=6, may not have a target user ID. For example, appointments that are performed solely by the assigned staff and do not provide any service to the user, such as the document creation listed in the services provided column, fall into this category. Similarly, some appointments may not have a specified start time. In the case of appointments that do not involve providing services to the user, the visiting service provider can arbitrarily set the time, so by not specifying a start time, it becomes possible to set any start time.

[0062] One feature of the schedule editing system 100 in this embodiment is that, when editing the schedule defined by the schedule information 121 as described above according to the operator's operations, it automatically identifies and groups a group of appointments from among the appointments included in the schedule that are suitable for batch editing, and enables the operator to edit the appointments belonging to that group all at once. The operation of the schedule editing system 100 related to this point will be described in more detail below.

[0063] First, Figure 9 shows an example of a schedule screen 200 that displays the contents of the schedule defined by the schedule information 121 and accepts editing operations. This screen is displayed on an appropriate display on the schedule editing system 100 or user terminal 300 by the function of the display control unit 111.

[0064] As shown in Figure 9, the schedule screen 200 includes a schedule display area 210 and a group display area 220. It is basically displayed based on schedule information 121, staff list 122, and user list 123, but it is not prevented from displaying information by referring to other settings or databases based on this information.

[0065] The schedule display area 210 has display fields 211 to 213 corresponding to each staff member, and these display fields 211 to 213 display each staff member's daily schedule along a common time axis 230. The staff members' names can be obtained from the staff list 122. Although the diagram only shows display fields 211 to 213 for three people, it is preferable to provide display fields for all staff members registered in the staff list 122. It may also be possible to set whether or not to provide a display field for each staff member.

[0066] The top display field 214 is for displaying schedules for which no staff member has been assigned (i.e., no staff member ID has been set). The time axis 230 for display field 214 is the same as that for display fields 211-213. In the example in Figure 9, due to insufficient width, the time axis 230 is only displayed from around 9:00 to 14:00, but it can be scrolled as needed using drag or swipe operations. The vertically arranged display fields can also be scrolled in the same way.

[0067] Furthermore, the date display unit 215 at the top of the schedule display area 210 shows the date, indicating the year, month, and day of the currently displayed schedule. Additionally, by operating the date change operation units 216 and 217, the date can be changed to display a schedule for a different date in the schedule display area 210.

[0068] In the schedule display area 210 described above, appointments that are not grouped within each appointment information P are displayed in the display field corresponding to the assigned staff ID in the appointment information P, using a single icon without hatching, such as appointment icons 231-235. In other words, appointment icons 231-235 are icons for each appointment information unit.

[0069] In the example in Figure 9, the names of the service users and the start times of their appointments are displayed within appointment icons 232-235, to the extent permitted by the width of the icons. The users' names can be obtained from user list 123. Appointment icons 232-235 correspond to appointments with IDs 4, 5, 3, and 25 in Figure 8, respectively. As can be seen in Figure 8, the start time for the appointment with ID=3 is not within the range of possible start times, so a warning mark 234a is displayed on the appointment icon 234 to indicate this.

[0070] Schedule icon 231 corresponds to the schedule with ID=6. Since there are no users for whom the service is provided in this schedule, the registered service, "Document Creation," is displayed instead. The information displayed within the icon is not limited to the example in Figure 9 and can be set arbitrarily by the operator.

[0071] Furthermore, grouped appointments are displayed for each group using a single hatched icon (distinguishable from individual appointment icons), such as group icons 236 and 237, in the corresponding display field, along with the staff member who will execute the appointment (indicated by the staff member ID in the appointment information P). In other words, group icons 236 and 237 are icons for each group. Note that in the example described here, the grouping condition includes "common executor," so all appointments within the group will be executed by the same staff member.

[0072] Group icons 236 and 237 display the symbol "gp" indicating that it is a group, and the number of appointments belonging to that group (2 for group icon 236, and 4 for group icon 237). In addition, the start time of the earliest appointment within the group is displayed, and the content of the services provided is displayed to the extent permitted by the width of the icon, based on the "Services Provided" in the appointment information P of the appointments within the group.

[0073] Since each appointment within a group typically targets different users, the service provided is displayed rather than the user. However, in this example, matching "services provided" is not included in the grouping criteria, so appointments with different "services provided" may belong to the same group. In such cases, it might be advisable to display the details of the service provided in one of the appointments, as well as indicate that other types of services are available. In the example in Figure 9, group icon 236 corresponds to the group to which the appointments with IDs 1 and 2 in Figure 8 belong, and group icon 237 corresponds to the group to which the appointments with IDs 21 to 24 belong.

[0074] On the other hand, the group display area 220 is located outside the schedule display area 210 and is an area for displaying the contents of appointments belonging to a group when one of the groups is selected. Group selection can be done, for example, by clicking on group icons 236 and 237. In Figure 9, the group of group icon 237 is shown in a selected state, and this is indicated by the thickened border of group icon 237. The group display area 220 could also be a pop-up screen that appears in response to a click on a group icon.

[0075] The group display area 220 includes a staff display unit 221, a location display unit 222, a time display unit 223, and individual display units 224 corresponding to each schedule belonging to the group. Each individual display unit 224 also includes a specific operation unit 225. The staff display unit 221 displays the names of the staff members who will carry out each scheduled task. The location display unit 222 displays the location where the scheduled event will be carried out. Since the execution location (the address of the service recipient) may not be the same for all scheduled events, it is preferable that this location be displayed based on the user's location attribute. If the visiting service provider sets the location attribute as a string, even if it is an abstract description such as "Address #1", the operator is expected to understand its meaning, so the location attribute string may be used directly for display. Alternatively, it is also possible to process the address and display it, such as by extracting and displaying a common part of each user's address.

[0076] The time display unit 223 displays the time period during which the appointments belonging to the group are to be executed. Specifically, it displays the time period from the start time of the earliest scheduled appointment to the end time of the latest scheduled appointment belonging to the group. Each individual display unit 224 displays the name of the user to whom the service will be provided for the corresponding scheduled service, the time period from the start time to the end time, and the content of the service to be provided.

[0077] The specific operation unit 225 corresponds to the function of the specific editing operation reception unit 117 and is a dedicated operation unit for receiving specific editing operations that cause the corresponding schedule to no longer satisfy the grouping conditions. This specific editing is intended to remove the schedule from the group to which it currently belongs. In this case, this specific editing is the deletion of the target user ID. A schedule from which the target user ID has been deleted can no longer satisfy the condition of "having the same executor" with other schedules, and therefore will no longer satisfy the grouping conditions regardless of the group contents at the time of the operation.

[0078] This is not the only possible edit; for example, deleting the start time slot can achieve a similar effect. However, while visiting service providers often change the staff member assigned to each appointment when editing schedules, they rarely change the start time slot after it has been correctly entered, as it is determined by user requests or contracts with users. Considering this, it is thought that by making the specific edit the deletion of the target user ID (removing the setting of the person who will perform the appointment), appointments can be easily removed from groups with minimal disruption to the overall usability of schedule editing operations, without causing unnecessary confusion.

[0079] In the schedule screen 200 described above, individual schedule editing operations can be performed by manipulating the schedule icons 231 to 235. This function corresponds to the function of the individual editing operation reception unit 112. For example, the individual editing operation reception unit 112 accepts the operation of moving an icon in the direction of the time axis 230 as an operation to shift the start time and end time by the same amount of time. It accepts the operation of resizing the edges of an icon in the direction of the time axis 230 as an operation to change only the start time or end time. It accepts the operation of moving an icon to the display fields 211 to 213 corresponding to other staff as an operation to change the assigned staff ID. It accepts the operation of moving an icon to the display field 214 as an operation to delete the assigned staff ID. It may also be possible to change the date to a different day by cutting and pasting the icon.

[0080] Furthermore, on the schedule screen 200, batch editing operations can be performed on appointments belonging to a group by operating the group icons 236 and 237. This function corresponds to the function of the batch editing operation reception unit 115. The relationship between the operation of the icons and the editing of appointments is the same as in the case of appointment icons 231 to 235, which is useful for making the operation method easy to understand intuitively, and is done in this way. However, this is not mandatory. In addition to the above, if an ungrouped appointment is selected by clicking on appointment icons 231-235, the content of the selected appointment may be displayed in the group display area 220, and editing of each item may be permitted. Such editing may also be permitted via a pop-up window.

[0081] On the other hand, although not mandatory, it is preferable to prevent individual editing operations for grouped schedules from being performed by means other than the specific operation unit 225. If, after editing, an event no longer meets the grouping criteria in relation to the group to which it belonged at the time of editing, the event will be removed from that group. However, if, at the same time, the event begins to meet the grouping criteria in relation to other groups, the event will belong to those other groups after editing. In such cases, the event icon representing the event may not be displayed in the schedule display area 210, making it difficult to see where the event has been moved after editing. On the other hand, if you want to edit grouped events individually, you can avoid this confusion by first removing them from the group using the specific operation unit 225 and then performing the desired edits.

[0082] Next, the processes that the schedule editing system 100 performs for displaying the schedule screen 200 described above and editing the scheduled information P in the schedule information 121 (editing the schedule) will be explained with reference to the flowcharts in Figures 10 to 14. The processes shown in these figures correspond to embodiments of the schedule editing method of this invention. Furthermore, although the processes shown in these figures are performed by the processor 101 executing the required program, it is also conceivable that all or part of these processes be executed by dedicated hardware. In the explanation of Figures 10 to 14, the schedule editing system 100 will be abbreviated as "system 100" for simplicity. Also, the processes will be explained as being performed by system 100.

[0083] First, Figure 10 shows the process that the system 100 executes when it detects a date specification and an instruction to display the schedule screen 200. For example, when the schedule editing function is activated, it can be assumed that the instruction to display the schedule screen 200 has been made by specifying the current date. Also, when the date change operation units 216 and 217 are operated, it can be assumed that the instruction to display the schedule screen 200 has been made by specifying the changed date. This instruction may also be received through another interface.

[0084] In any case, when system 100 detects the specification of a date and the instruction to display the schedule screen 200, it starts the process shown in Figure 10, and first extracts the scheduled information P from the schedule information 121 in which the date to be displayed is set as "Date" (S11). It also displays the frame and date of the schedule screen 200 (S12). The process in step S12 includes the display of the display fields 211 to 213 corresponding to each staff member, a display field 214 for displaying schedules for which no staff member has been assigned, and the time axis 230.

[0085] Next, the system 100 generates groups of the extracted schedule information P where the assigned staff ID, the attributes of the target user, and the available start time all match (S13). In other words, when it detects that there are two or more schedule information P that satisfy predetermined grouping conditions, it automatically creates groups of those schedule information P. At this time, regarding the attributes of the target user, it is possible to consider only one of the relationship attribute and the location attribute, or to consider both and determine that the attributes match only if both match. It is advisable to allow the user to set in advance which attributes to consider. For the group information, it is sufficient to store the schedule IDs of the schedule information P that follow the group. Furthermore, as mentioned above, the grouping of schedule information P can be considered as simultaneously the grouping of the schedules indicated by that schedule information P.

[0086] After step S13, the system 100 sequentially processes the groups generated in step S13 (S14, S15), executes the processes in steps S16 and S17, and displays a group icon for each group. In other words, the system 100 displays a group icon in a display field corresponding to the staff ID in the schedule information P belonging to the group to be processed, indicating the time range from the start time of the first scheduled appointment to the end time of the last scheduled appointment indicated by the schedule information P belonging to the group to be processed (S16). The system also displays the number of schedule information P belonging to the group to be processed, the services provided in the schedule information P, and the start time of the first scheduled appointment indicated by the schedule information P on the displayed group icon (S17).

[0087] If no groups are generated in step S13, or if the processing in steps S16 and S17 is completed for all groups, the process proceeds to step S18. Here, the system 100 sequentially processes the ungrouped schedule information P extracted in step S12 (S18, S19), and executes the processing in steps S20 and S21 to display a schedule icon for each schedule.

[0088] In other words, system 100 displays a schedule icon in the display field corresponding to the staff ID in the schedule information P to be processed, indicating the time range from the start time to the end time in the schedule information P to be processed (S20). In addition, the start time in the schedule information P to be processed and the target user indicated by the target user ID are displayed on the displayed schedule icon (S21). Once the processing in steps S20 and S21 is completed for all the schedule information P extracted in step S12 that has not been grouped, the processing in Figure 10 is complete.

[0089] Furthermore, when displaying the schedule icon, a process may be added to warn the operator if there is a schedule whose start time falls outside the range of the startable time slot, similar to the processes in steps S43 and S44 of Figure 12 described later. For groups containing such schedules, a warning may also be issued, similar to the processes in steps S63 and S64 of Figure 13 described later. The process shown in Figure 10 above groups the scheduled information P that satisfies the predetermined grouping conditions, and then displays the schedule display area 210 of the schedule screen 200, as explained using Figure 9. The process in Figure 10 corresponds to the function of the display control unit 111 (first to third display control units) and is a process of the display control procedure (first to third display control procedure). Furthermore, the process in step S13 corresponds to the function of the group setting unit 114 and is a process of the group setting procedure.

[0090] Furthermore, system 100 generates groups each time the schedule screen 200 is displayed and each time the date changes. Therefore, information on which schedule information P belongs to each group only needs to be retained until the schedule screen 200 is cleared or the date changes. This reduces the processing load because, when grouping, it is only necessary to determine whether the grouping condition is met for the schedule information P of a specific date.

[0091] As will be explained later, in order to ensure proper grouping, the success or failure of the grouping conditions must be determined each time the schedule information P is edited. Performing this determination on all schedule information P included in the schedule information 121 would result in a heavy processing load. While it is possible to create and store group information for all schedule information P included in the schedule information 121 in advance and display the schedule screen 200 by referring to that stored group information, the configuration shown in Figure 10 is preferable from the standpoint of processing load.

[0092] Next, Figure 11 shows the process that the system 100 executes when it detects a group selection operation. For example, clicking on group icons 236 and 237 can be considered a group selection operation. When system 100 detects a group selection operation, it starts the process shown in Figure 11 and clears the display in the group display area 220 at that time (S31). The system 100 then displays the staff and location for executing the schedule indicated by the schedule information P of the selected group in the group display area 220 of the schedule screen 200 being displayed (S32). The staff can be displayed on the staff display unit 221 based on the assigned staff ID and staff list 122, and the location can be displayed on the location display unit 222 based on location attributes, etc.

[0093] Next, the system 100 displays in the group display area 220 the time range from the start time of the first scheduled event to the end time of the last scheduled event, as indicated by the scheduled information P belonging to the selected group (S33). This display can be performed on the time display unit 223. Subsequently, the system 100 sequentially processes the schedule information P belonging to the selected group (S34, S35) and executes the processes of steps S36 and S37. Specifically, an individual display unit 224 is added to the group display area 220 that displays the target user, start time, end time, and services provided, indicated by the target user ID of the schedule information P to be processed (S36), and a corresponding specific operation unit 225 is added within the individual display unit 224 (S37). Once the processing in steps S36 and S37 is completed for all the schedule information P belonging to the selected group, the processing in Figure 11 is completed.

[0094] The process shown in Figure 11 enables the display of the group display area 220 of the schedule screen 200, as explained using Figure 9. The process in Figure 11 also corresponds to the function of the display control unit 111.

[0095] Next, Figure 12 shows the process that the system 100 executes when it detects a move operation of a scheduled icon. This move operation corresponds to an individual editing operation, and its detection corresponds to the function of the individual editing operation reception unit 112. When system 100 detects a move operation of a schedule icon, it starts the process shown in Figure 12 and changes the staff ID in the schedule information P corresponding to the moved schedule icon to the staff ID corresponding to the destination field (S41). However, if the move does not cross fields, it is not necessary to change the staff ID. Also, if the destination is a display field 214 for displaying schedules for which no staff member has been assigned, the staff ID is deleted.

[0096] The system 100 then changes the start and end times in the schedule information P corresponding to the moved schedule icon by the amount of movement in the time axis 230 direction and the time corresponding to that movement (S42). However, if there is no movement in the time axis direction, it is not necessary to change the time. Also, this change does not change the interval between the start and end times. With the processing completed up to this point, the editing of the schedule information P in accordance with the movement of the schedule icon is finished. The processing up to this point corresponds to the function of the individual editing unit 113.

[0097] The system 100 then determines whether the changed start time falls within the range of possible start times specified in the schedule information P corresponding to the moved schedule icon (S43). If it does not fall within the range, it warns the operator accordingly (S44). This warning can be given by displaying a mark 234a as shown in Figure 9, or by using sound, changing the color of the icon or text, flashing, etc.

[0098] In either case, the system 100 then determines whether the modified schedule information P matches the schedule information P of any existing group in terms of the assigned staff ID, the attributes of the target user, and the available start time slots (S45). That is, it determines whether the modified schedule information P satisfies the grouping conditions by comparing it with all the schedule information P that follows any existing group.

[0099] If the answer in step S45 is Yes, the system 100 adds the modified schedule information P to a group that satisfies the grouping conditions (S46). Then, taking into account the added schedule information P, it updates the display of the group icon for that group (S47). This process can be the same as steps S16 and S17 in Figure 10. After that, the system deletes the moved schedule icon that is no longer needed to be displayed because the corresponding schedule information P has been added to the group (S48), and the process ends.

[0100] If the answer in step S45 is No, then, in the same manner as in step S45, it is determined whether the modified schedule information P satisfies the grouping condition with any of the ungrouped schedule information P (S49). If the answer in step S49 is Yes, the system 100 generates a new group (S50) by grouping the schedule information P that matched in step S49 in terms of the assigned staff ID, the attributes of the target user, and the available start time, with the modified schedule information P. Then, similar to steps S16 and S17 in Figure 10, the group icon of the generated group is displayed in the schedule display area 210 (S51). In addition, the schedule information P grouped in step S50, including the one that was moved this time, and the corresponding schedule icons are deleted (S52) as they are no longer needed to be displayed, and the process ends. If the result in step S49 is No, it is determined that no grouping will occur as a result of this move operation, so the position of the scheduled icon is moved according to the detected move operation (S53), and the process is terminated.

[0101] As a result of the editing process in steps S45 to S52, if new schedule information P that satisfies the grouping conditions is generated, that schedule information P can be grouped. This grouping may involve adding to an existing group or creating a new group. The processes in steps S45, S46, S49, and S50 correspond to the functions of the group setting unit 114 and are processes in the order of group setting. The processes in steps S47, S48, S51, S52, and S53 correspond to the functions of the display control unit 111 and are processes in the display control procedure.

[0102] Next, Figure 13 shows the process that the system 100 executes when it detects a move operation of a group icon. This move operation corresponds to a batch editing operation, and its detection process corresponds to the function of the batch editing operation reception unit 115 and corresponds to the batch editing operation reception procedure. When system 100 detects a group icon being moved, it starts the process shown in Figure 13 and changes the assigned staff ID in all the schedule information P belonging to the group corresponding to the moved group icon to the staff ID corresponding to the destination field (S61). However, if there is no movement across fields, changing the assigned staff ID is not necessary. Also, if the destination is a display field 214 for displaying schedules for which no assigned staff member has been assigned, the staff ID is deleted.

[0103] The system 100 then changes the start and end times of all scheduled information P belonging to the group corresponding to the moved group icon by the amount of movement in the time axis 230 direction and the time corresponding to that movement (S62). In other words, it shifts the time period of each scheduled event belonging to the group by the same amount. However, if there is no movement in the time axis direction, it is not necessary to change the time. Also, this change does not change the interval between the start and end times of each scheduled information P. Nor does it change the time interval between different scheduled information P. With the processing completed up to this point, the batch editing of the schedule information P corresponding to the movement of the group icon is finished. The processing up to this point corresponds to the function of the batch editing unit 116 and is the processing of the batch editing procedure.

[0104] The system 100 then determines whether the changed start time for all the schedule information P belonging to the group corresponding to the moved group icon is within the range of possible start times specified in the schedule information P (S63). If there is any schedule information P that is outside the range, the system warns the operator accordingly (S64). This warning can be given by displaying a mark 234a as shown in Figure 9, or by using sound, changing the color of the icon or text, flashing, etc. In either case, the system 100 then determines whether the destination of the group icon is the display area 214 (S65). If the answer is No, it moves the position of the group icon according to the detected operation (S66) and terminates the process.

[0105] On the other hand, if the answer is Yes in step S65, the staff ID is deleted in step S61, and consequently, the schedule information P within the group no longer satisfies the grouping condition "common executor". Therefore, the system 100 executes the processes in steps S67 to S69 to delete the manipulated group icon and the group corresponding to it. In other words, the group icon that was moved is deleted (S67), and, similar to steps S20 and S21 in Figure 10, each schedule information P belonging to the group corresponding to the group icon that was moved and the corresponding schedule icon are displayed (S68), and then the group corresponding to the group icon is deleted (S69), and the process ends.

[0106] If, as a result of the batch editing, any scheduled information P that no longer meets the grouping criteria is generated during steps S65 and S67 through S69, that scheduled information P can be removed from the group. Furthermore, any group that no longer contains the scheduled information P can be deleted. The processes in steps S65 and S69 correspond to the functions of the group setting unit 114 and are processes in the order of group setting. The processes in steps S66, S67, and S68 correspond to the functions of the display control unit 111 and are processes in the display control procedure.

[0107] Note that if the staff ID is changed in step S61, all appointment information belonging to the moved group may, as a result, begin to satisfy the grouping conditions with other appointment information that is not grouped, or with all appointment information belonging to other groups. Therefore, after step S61, it is advisable to consider this point and check whether there is any appointment information that now satisfies the grouping conditions in relation to all appointment information belonging to the moved group. If relevant schedule information exists, it is advisable to reorganize the group by incorporating the schedule information, or the entire group if the schedule information belongs to a group, into the moved group, and then update the display. The display update can be performed in the same way as steps S16 and S17 in Figure 10. If necessary, the process in Figure 11 should be executed to update the display in the group display area 220 as well.

[0108] Next, Figure 14 shows the process that the system 100 executes when it detects an operation by the specific operation unit 225. This detection of an operation corresponds to the function of the specific editing operation reception unit 117. When system 100 detects an operation of a specific operation unit 225 provided on any of the individual display units 224, it starts the process shown in Figure 14, and first deletes the staff ID in the schedule information P corresponding to the operated specific operation unit 225 (S81). This process is a specific edit corresponding to the operation of the specific operation unit 225. Furthermore, the schedule information P that has been edited no longer satisfies the grouping condition "common executor" with other schedule information P belonging to the same group.

[0109] Therefore, the system 100 removes the schedule information P corresponding to the operated specific operation unit 225 from the group to which it belongs (S82). Furthermore, based on the schedule information P remaining in the group after the removal, the system updates the group icon and the display in the group display area 220 (S83). This process may be the same as steps S16 and S17 in Figure 10, and as shown in Figure 11. Next, the system 100 displays the schedule information P that was excluded from the group and the corresponding schedule icon in the schedule display area 210, similar to steps S20 and S21 in Figure 10 (S84), and then terminates the process.

[0110] Through the above process, any schedule information P belonging to the selected group can be removed from the group in a single operation. Furthermore, if, as a result of the exclusion in step S82, only one schedule information P belongs to the group, the group should be deleted, and the remaining single schedule information and its corresponding schedule icon should be displayed in place of the previous group icon, similar to steps S67 to S69 in Figure 13.

[0111] According to the schedule editing system 100 described above, it is possible to automatically group tasks that are to be performed multiple times in a relatively short period of time and make them editable in bulk, thus enabling efficient editing of schedules that include such tasks.

[0112] As an example, in the schedules shown in Figures 8 and 9, the schedules for ID=4 and ID=21 stipulate that different services will be provided to the same user (User ID=11, F-mura G-suke) at the same time. Therefore, it is necessary to shift the time of one of these schedules.

[0113] Now, let's consider shifting the time of the scheduled event with ID=21. In this case, we can see that the scheduled events with IDs=22 to 24 are scheduled to be executed at a time and place close to the scheduled event with ID=21. This is because, in the user list 123 in Figure 7, users with user IDs=11 to 14 have a common location attribute. Therefore, it is preferable to place the scheduled events with IDs=21 to 24 in close proximity and execute them consecutively.

[0114] However, if you individually edit the appointment with ID=21 and only shift the time of that appointment, a gap will be created between it and appointments with IDs=22 to 24, potentially making the schedule inefficient. In contrast, if you group appointments with IDs=21 to 24 and shift them all by the same time, this inefficient schedule can be avoided.

[0115] It should be noted that even without grouping, it is theoretically possible to maintain a schedule where appointments ID=21-24 are executed consecutively by editing appointments ID=22-24 separately when editing appointment ID=21. However, this would require editing appointments ID=22-24 individually, or selecting all appointments ID=21-24 for editing and then editing them all at once, resulting in poor usability. In contrast, in the above embodiment, by using grouping conditions, it is possible to automatically identify and group schedule groups that require batch editing, such as ID=21~24, making them available for batch editing. This improves the operability of schedule editing and increases efficiency.

[0116] Furthermore, since grouped appointments are displayed with icons representing the group, even when many appointments are concentrated within a short time frame, the number of icons that need to be displayed can be reduced, preventing a decrease in visibility. For example, if we were to display individual event icons for events with IDs 21 to 24, the schedule screen 200 would be densely packed with narrow icons like event icon 235. In this state, it would be difficult to display the event details for each icon, resulting in poor visibility.

[0117] However, by automatically grouping these and displaying the schedules in groups using group icon 237, the icon size can be increased, allowing a certain amount of text to be displayed within the icon, thereby improving the visibility of the schedule content. In this case, appointments that do not meet the grouping criteria are displayed with individual icons even if their time slots overlap, allowing them to be edited individually and thus maintaining usability.

[0118] Furthermore, even if grouping occurs in a way that differs from the intended purpose, a dedicated operation unit 225 is provided to accept operations that allow users to remove any scheduled event from the group. This makes it possible to remove desired events from the group with simple and intuitive operations, thus reducing the degree to which automatic grouping can actually decrease usability.

[0119] Furthermore, it may be possible to configure each schedule information P to exclude it from automatic grouping. Schedule information P with such a setting should be excluded from grouping even if it meets the grouping criteria. This will prevent unintended grouping and further improve usability. Such settings could also be made on a per-service basis, such as for schedule information P with a specific service, for a specific target user ID, or for a specific staff member ID.

[0120] [Variation] This concludes the description of the embodiments. However, in this invention, the specific configuration of the system or device, the specific processing procedures, the data format, the network configuration, the screen display, the grouping conditions used, etc., are not limited to those described in the embodiments.

[0121] For example, instead of grouping condition (3) in the above embodiment, (3') The scheduled start time falls within the same time period defined in a time period based on a predetermined reference time. It is conceivable to use this. Under this condition, it is conceivable that the condition will be satisfied even if the scheduled information P does not include information on the possible start time range. Condition (3') is also an example of a condition concerning the variation in start times.

[0122] Figure 15 shows the configuration of schedule information 121 when this transformation is performed. Figure 16 shows the changes in the processing shown in Figure 10 when this transformation is performed. Figure 17 shows an example of grouping appointments according to this transformation. When performing this modification, as shown in Figure 15, it is preferable to include, in addition to the scheduled information P, reference time and unit time information for creating time divisions in the schedule information 121. The reference time and unit time may be set for the entire schedule editing system 100, or for the entire schedule edited by a specific business operator, but it is preferable to be able to set different values ​​for each schedule being edited.

[0123] Furthermore, when performing this modification, the process in step S13 of Figure 10, which is used when displaying the schedule screen 200, is replaced by the processes in steps S13A and S13B of Figure 16. In other words, first, time divisions are created before and after the reference time in units of time (S13A). For example, if the reference time is 10:00 and the unit of time is 30 minutes, then before the reference time, time divisions of 30 minutes are created, such as 9:30-10:00, 9:00-9:30, 8:30-9:00, etc., and after the reference time, time divisions of 30 minutes are also created, such as 10:00-10:30, 10:30-11:00, 11:00-11:30, etc. The time at the boundary of a division should belong to one of the divisions.

[0124] Then, from the schedule information P extracted in step S11, groups are generated by grouping together those that have matching staff IDs and target user attributes, and whose start times belong to the same time category (S13B). For example, schedule 401, which starts at 10:10, and schedule 402, which starts at 10:25, belong to the same time category, so they will be grouped together if other conditions are also met. However, schedule 403, which starts at 10:40, does not belong to the same time category as the other two schedules, so it will not be grouped with schedules 401 and 402 (see Figure 17).

[0125] Even when using the grouping conditions described above, similar to the embodiment described above, it is possible to automatically group and batch edit schedules that involve executing tasks multiple times in a relatively short period of time, thus enabling easy editing of schedules containing such tasks.

[0126] Furthermore, the grouping condition concerning the variation in start times is not limited to (3) in the embodiment described above or (3') in the modified example, but may be a different condition. Any condition can be adopted as long as it specifies that the time periods in which the schedules are to be executed are relatively close together. Furthermore, while (3) and (3') only considered variations in start times, it is also possible to group appointments that belong to the same time zone, considering the entire time period from start to finish.

[0127] Furthermore, the grouping condition may also require that the information indicating the type of action to be performed according to the schedule (in the above embodiment, "services provided") is common to all schedules. This is because there is a stronger desire to perform the schedules consecutively when this condition is also met, and batch editing is considered highly useful.

[0128] Furthermore, in the embodiments described above, the target of the scheduled execution was assumed to be the service user. However, the target of execution is not limited to this. It could be the person to be met or discussed, the place to be visited, the goods to be transported, the work site, the equipment or facilities to be used, etc., and does not have to be a person. If at least the attributes of each target of execution are registered as information corresponding to the user list 123, then, as in the embodiments described above, it will be possible to perform automatic grouping of schedules and batch editing of grouped schedules, and similar improvements in usability will be obtained. The types of attributes to be set can be arbitrarily determined according to the specific target of execution. However, it is expected that common attributes will be set for multiple execution targets that are desirable to execute consecutively.

[0129] Furthermore, while the embodiments described above envisioned medical, nursing, and care services as the services provided, the invention is not limited to these. This invention is applicable not only to specific types of businesses, nor to businesses that provide services by visiting clients. It is also applicable to editing private, non-business schedules.

[0130] Furthermore, an embodiment of the program of this invention is a program that causes a computer to control the necessary hardware to realize the functions of the schedule editing system 100 described above.

[0131] Such programs may be stored from the outset in the computer's built-in ROM or other non-volatile storage media (flash memory, EEPROM, etc.). However, they can also be provided by recording them on any non-volatile storage medium such as a memory card, CD, DVD, or Blu-ray disc. By installing and running the programs recorded on these storage media on a computer, the functions described above can be realized.

[0132] Furthermore, it is possible to download programs from an external device connected to a network and equipped with a recording medium containing the program, or from an external device that stores the program in a storage means, and then install and run it on a computer. Furthermore, it goes without saying that the configurations of each embodiment and modified example described above can be combined in any way as long as they do not contradict each other. [Explanation of symbols]

[0133] 100...Schedule editing system, 121...Schedule information, 122...Staff list, 123...User list, 200...Schedule screen, 210...Schedule display area, 211~213...Display field corresponding to staff, 214...Display field for staff not set, 215...Date display section, 216,217...Date change operation section, 220...Group display area, 221...Staff display section, 222...Location display section, 223...Time display section, 224...Individual display section, 225...Specific operation section, 230...Time axis, 231~235...Schedule icon, 236,237...Group icon, 300...User terminal

Claims

1. A schedule editing system comprising one computer or multiple collaborating computers, and including a schedule editing unit that edits a schedule containing any number of scheduled information in response to user operations, Each of the aforementioned scheduled pieces of information includes performer information indicating the performer who will perform the action indicated by the scheduled piece of information, time information including the start time of the action, and target information indicating the target of the action. The aforementioned schedule editing system An attribute acquisition unit that acquires the attributes set for the execution target, A group setting unit detects that there are two or more scheduled events in the schedule to be edited that satisfy predetermined grouping conditions, and automatically creates a group of those scheduled events, wherein the grouping conditions are that the executor is the same, the attributes set for the execution target are the same, and predetermined conditions regarding the variation in start times are met. A batch editing operation receiving unit that accepts batch editing operations on schedule information belonging to the group created by the group setting unit, A schedule editing system characterized by comprising a batch editing unit that batch edits schedule information belonging to the group in response to editing operations received by the batch editing operation receiving unit.

2. A schedule editing system according to claim 1, Each of the aforementioned scheduled pieces of information includes information on a time range in which the start time can be set, A schedule editing system characterized in that a predetermined condition regarding the variation in the start time is that the start time range is common.

3. A schedule editing system according to claim 1, A schedule editing system characterized in that the predetermined condition regarding the variation in the start time is that the start time belongs to the same time segment in a time segment defined in a predetermined time unit based on a predetermined reference time.

4. A schedule editing system according to claim 2 or 3, A schedule editing system characterized in that the attribute set for the execution target is area information indicating the location where the execution target exists.

5. A schedule editing system according to claim 2 or 3, A schedule editing system characterized in that the attributes set for the execution target are relational information indicating the relationships between multiple execution targets.

6. A schedule editing system according to claim 2 or 3, The aforementioned batch editing operation is an operation to change the start time, The aforementioned batch editing unit is characterized by performing an edit that shifts the start times of all scheduled information belonging to the group by the same amount of time in response to the operation to change the start time.

7. A schedule editing system according to claim 2 or 3, The aforementioned batch editing operation is a modification operation performed by the executor. The aforementioned batch editing unit is characterized by performing editing to change all executors belonging to the group to the same content in response to a change operation by the executor.

8. A schedule editing system according to claim 2 or 3, The schedule editing system is characterized in that, after creating a group, if the group setting unit detects new schedule information that satisfies the grouping conditions by comparing it with all schedule information belonging to the group, it adds the newly generated schedule information to the group.

9. A schedule editing system according to claim 2 or 3, With respect to each schedule information belonging to a group created by the group setting unit, a dedicated operation unit is provided for accepting specific editing operations that cause the schedule information to no longer satisfy the grouping conditions. A schedule editing system characterized in that, when an operation to the specified operation unit is detected, the schedule editing unit performs the specified editing on the schedule information corresponding to the specified operation unit, and the group setting unit removes the schedule information corresponding to the specified operation unit from the group.

10. A schedule editing system according to claim 2 or 3, The first display control unit displays the edited schedule on the display screen, creating a separate column for each executor, arranging multiple executors' schedules along a common time axis, with ungrouped schedule information displayed as individual schedule information icons, and grouped schedule information displayed as group-specific icons. A second display control unit, which, in accordance with the selection of the group-based icon, displays the content of each scheduled information belonging to the group corresponding to the selected icon in a portion of the screen other than the individual executor fields, The screen includes a third display control unit that displays icons indicating scheduled information for which no executor has been assigned, in a field parallel to the field for each executor, along the common time axis. The batch editing operation receiving unit accepts the operation of moving the group-unit icon to the field of another executor or to the field of schedule information where no executor has been assigned as the batch editing operation that changes the executor to the content corresponding to the field to which it was moved. The aforementioned batch editing unit is characterized by performing an edit in response to the batch editing operation, changing the executor of all scheduled information belonging to the group corresponding to the operated icon to content corresponding to the moved field.

11. A schedule editing method that is executed by one computer or multiple collaborating computers and edits a schedule containing any number of scheduled information in response to user operations, Each of the aforementioned scheduled pieces of information includes performer information indicating the performer who will perform the action indicated by the scheduled piece of information, time information including the start time of the action, and target information indicating the target of the action. The aforementioned schedule editing method, An attribute acquisition procedure for acquiring the attributes set for the execution target, A group setting procedure that automatically creates a group of scheduled information when it is detected that there are two or more scheduled information items in the schedule to be edited that satisfy predetermined grouping conditions, wherein the grouping conditions are that the executor is the same, the attributes set for the execution target are the same, and predetermined conditions regarding the variation in start times are met. A batch editing operation acceptance procedure that accepts batch editing operations on schedule information belonging to the group created in the group setting procedure, A schedule editing method characterized by comprising a batch editing procedure for batch editing schedule information belonging to the group in response to editing operations received in the batch editing operation acceptance procedure.

12. A schedule editing method according to claim 11, Each of the aforementioned scheduled pieces of information includes information on a time range in which the start time can be set, A schedule editing method characterized in that a predetermined condition regarding the variation in the start time is that the possible start time period is common.

13. A schedule editing method according to claim 11, A schedule editing method characterized in that the predetermined condition regarding the variation in the start time is that the start time belongs to the same time division in a time division defined in predetermined time units based on a predetermined reference time.

14. A schedule editing method according to claim 12 or 13, A schedule editing method characterized in that the attribute set for the execution target is area information indicating the location where the execution target exists.

15. A schedule editing method according to claim 12 or 13, A schedule editing method characterized in that the attributes set for the execution target are relational information indicating the relationships between multiple execution targets.

16. A schedule editing method according to claim 12 or 13, The aforementioned batch editing operation is an operation to change the start time, A schedule editing method characterized in that, in the batch editing procedure described above, in response to the operation to change the start time, the start times of all scheduled information belonging to the group are edited to shift by the same amount of time.

17. A schedule editing method according to claim 12 or 13, The aforementioned batch editing operation is a modification operation performed by the executor. A schedule editing method characterized in that, in the batch editing procedure described above, in response to a change operation by the executor, the executor of all scheduled information belonging to the group is edited to change to the same content.

18. A schedule editing method according to claim 12 or 13, The group setting procedure is characterized by including a step of adding newly discovered schedule information that satisfies the grouping conditions after the group has been created, by comparing it with all schedule information belonging to the group.

19. A schedule editing method according to claim 12 or 13, With respect to each schedule information belonging to the group created in the group setting procedure described above, a specific operation unit is provided, which is a dedicated operation unit for accepting specific editing operations that cause the schedule information to no longer satisfy the grouping conditions described above. A schedule editing method characterized by detecting an operation on the specified operation unit, performing the specified editing on the schedule information corresponding to the specified operation unit, and removing the schedule information corresponding to the specified operation unit from the group.

20. A schedule editing method according to claim 12 or 13, The first display control procedure involves displaying the edited schedule on the display screen, creating a separate column for each executor, arranging multiple executors' schedules along a common timeline, displaying ungrouped schedule information with individual schedule information icons, and grouped schedule information with group-specific icons. A second display control procedure that, in accordance with the selection of icons for each group, displays the content of each scheduled information belonging to the group corresponding to the selected icon in the part of the screen other than the section for each executor, The system includes a third display control procedure that causes icons indicating scheduled information for which no executor has been assigned to be displayed in a field parallel to the field for each executor in the aforementioned screen, along the common time axis. In the batch editing operation acceptance procedure, the operation of moving the group-unit icon to the field of another executor or to the field of scheduled information where no executor has been assigned is accepted as the batch editing operation that changes the executor to the content corresponding to the field to which it was moved. A schedule editing method characterized in that, in the batch editing procedure described above, in response to the batch editing operation, the executors of all scheduled information belonging to the group corresponding to the operated icon are edited to the content corresponding to the moved field.

21. A program for causing one computer or multiple computers to cooperate to perform each step of the schedule editing method described in any one of claims 11 to 13.

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