Access control system, delivery management server, and courier support system

Abstract

To improve the efficiency of delivery operations. [Solution] The entry / exit system 100 is installed in the entrance hall 120 of the apartment building. The entry / exit system 100 includes an entry device 106 and an exit device 108. The entry device 106 receives input from a delivery company, which is the number of packages to be delivered to the apartment building, and notifies an external delivery management server, which is connected via a communication network, of the number of packages to be delivered.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a technology for managing home deliveries to apartment buildings.

Background Art

[0002] It is said that the number of home deliveries (packages) in Japan reaches 5 billion per year. In order to accurately deliver a huge number of home deliveries, it is necessary to precisely manage the delivery status of home deliveries. Also, the probability of redelivery of home deliveries, in other words, the ratio of packages that cannot be delivered by the first delivery is said to be 12 (%), and how to reduce redelivery has become an important issue.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] Many apartment buildings equipped with "Automatic Door Lock" are available to restrict the intrusion of non-residents into the house. A home delivery method called "leave-and-deliver" is spreading mainly in such highly secure apartment buildings. Leave-and-deliver is a service that delivers packages even when the recipient is absent by placing the packages at a location designated by the recipient, such as in front of the entrance or in the meter box.

[0005] With the spread of leave-and-deliver, an improvement in the probability of delivering packages to the recipient by the first delivery (hereinafter referred to as "first delivery rate") is expected.

[0006] The prerequisite for safe unattended delivery is the security of the apartment building. On the other hand, the higher the security of an apartment building, the more difficult it becomes for delivery personnel, who are not residents, to carry out deliveries. Therefore, for unattended delivery to become widespread, it is necessary to balance the security of apartment buildings with the efficiency of delivery operations.

[0007] This invention was completed based on the above-mentioned recognition of the problem, and its main purpose is to provide a technology for improving the efficiency of delivery work. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] An access control system in one aspect of the present invention is installed in an apartment building. This access control system includes a first input unit that receives input from a delivery company regarding the number of packages to be delivered to the apartment building, and a communication unit that notifies an external delivery management server, connected via a communication network, of the number of packages to be delivered.

[0009] In one aspect of the present invention, the delivery management server is connected to an access control system installed in an apartment building via a communication network. This delivery management server includes a first receiving unit that receives the carrier ID of a delivery company and the number of packages brought into the apartment building by the delivery company from the access control machine; a second receiving unit that receives the carrier ID of a delivery company and the number of packages that were delivered to the apartment building by the delivery company, which indicates either the number of packages that were delivered or the number of packages that could not be delivered from the access control machine; and a delivery management unit that calculates the redelivery rate for each delivery company for a unit period based on the number of packages that entered and the number of packages that left.

[0010] The delivery support system in this embodiment includes, in an access control device installed in an apartment building, a first input unit that accepts input of a passcode to identify a delivery company and an entry number which is the number of packages to be delivered to the apartment building; an unlocking unit that authenticates the passcode and instructs the unlocking of the apartment building's front door; an entry record unit that records the unlocking time which is the time the front door was unlocked; a stay time measurement unit that measures the elapsed time from the unlocking time; an permission time setting unit that sets the permitted time period during which delivery companies are allowed to stay in the apartment building; a second input unit that accepts input from the delivery company of an exit number which indicates either the number of packages that were delivered to the apartment building or the number of packages that could not be delivered when the delivery company leaves the apartment building; a delivery management unit that calculates the redelivery rate for each delivery company in a unit period based on the entry number and exit number; and a communication unit that notifies a predetermined device of a warning. The first input unit activates the input interface for the number of people entering the building, provided that the passcode has been authenticated. The unlocking unit instructs the front door to unlock only after the passcode has been authenticated, the number of people entering the building has been entered, and the entered time falls within the permitted time period. The communications unit will notify a designated device of an unauthorized entry if the passcode is not authenticated, if the number of items to be left is not entered after a predetermined time limit has elapsed since the unlocking time, and if the time at which the number of items to be left is entered falls outside the permitted time period.

[0011] A delivery support system in one aspect of the present invention includes a first input device installed in a shared delivery box in an apartment building or in a room containing the shared delivery box, comprising: a detection unit for detecting a predetermined operation by a user; and an opening / closing control unit for unlocking the entrance door of the apartment building on the condition that a predetermined delay time has elapsed since the detection of the predetermined operation. [Effects of the Invention]

[0012] According to the present invention, the efficiency of delivery work can be improved. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0013] [Figure 1] It is a hardware configuration diagram of a home delivery support system. [Figure 2] It is a schematic diagram of the entrance hall of an apartment. [Figure 3] It is a functional block diagram of a home delivery support system. [Figure 4] It is a schematic diagram for explaining the stop floor limit function. [Figure 5] It is a flowchart showing the processing process when entering the building. [Figure 6] It is a screen diagram of the password input screen on the entrance machine. [Figure 7] It is a screen diagram of the input screen for the number of people entering the building on the entrance machine. [Figure 8] It is a flowchart showing the processing process when leaving the building. [Figure 9] It is a screen diagram of the input screen for the number of people leaving the building on the exit machine. [Figure 10] It is a data structure diagram of the re-delivery rate information. [Figure 11] It is a data structure diagram of the home delivery performance information in a modification example. [Figure 12] It is a data structure diagram of the delivery failure number information in a modification example. [Figure 13] It is a schematic diagram of an apartment where a home delivery box is installed. [Figure 14] It is a front view of the home delivery box. [Figure 15] It is a flowchart showing the operation flow of the warehousing device and the entrance machine in the home delivery box. [Figure 16] It is a functional block diagram of the home delivery support system in a modification example.

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0014] In the following, "delivery company" refers to a transportation company or a delivery person contracted by a transportation company to deliver packages. Leaving packages at the door is a service that is possible on the premise that both the sender and recipient of the package have agreed to this in advance. With leaving packages at the door, the delivery person only needs to leave the package at the location specified by the recipient, even if the recipient is absent, so redelivery is usually not required. However, even with leaving packages at the door, there is still a small possibility that the package may not be delivered and redelivery may be necessary.

[0015] For example, there are times when delivery personnel cannot leave packages at the front door because they might get wet due to rain. Sometimes the designated delivery location is unclear to the delivery person. Packages may be too large to be placed in the designated location, or lighter packages like clothing may not be able to be placed due to strong winds. Packages may also not be able to be placed in the designated location because it is wet or dirty. Alternatively, even if a delivery box for a private residence is designated, it may not be possible to place the package because it is already filled with other packages, or the delivery box may be malfunctioning.

[0016] In this embodiment, assuming a failure in home delivery, particularly in contactless delivery, when a delivery person enters or leaves an apartment building or other multi-unit dwelling, the number of packages brought into the building (hereinafter referred to as "number of packages entered") and the number of packages brought into the building but returned because they could not be delivered (hereinafter referred to as "number of packages left") are entered. By managing the number of packages entered and the number of packages left, delivery management of packages is performed.

[0017] Figure 1 is a hardware configuration diagram of the delivery support system 110. In the delivery support system 110, multiple access control devices 100a, 100b...100n (hereinafter collectively referred to as "access control devices 100" when referring to them together or without distinction) are connected to the delivery management server 200 via the internet 102. The access control devices 100 are installed in the entrance halls of apartment buildings 104 (apartments 104a, 104b...104n) (described later). Apartment building 104 is an example of a "multi-unit dwelling" and is composed of a collection of multiple residences.

[0018] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the entrance hall 120 of apartment building 104. The entrance hall 120 is equipped with an entrance door 114 (a shared entrance) with an automatic lock. Residents of apartment building 104 hold an authentication key up to the shared entrance intercom 112 when entering the building. The authentication key is configured, for example, as a card key. If the shared entrance intercom 112 can authenticate that the person is a resident using the authentication key, it unlocks the entrance door 114. After unlocking, when the motion sensor 116 detects a resident, the entrance door 114 opens. When a non-resident wants to enter apartment building 104, they enter the resident's room number into the shared entrance intercom 112 and request the resident to unlock the door via the intercom.

[0019] In this embodiment, the entrance hall 120 is equipped with an entry / exit machine 100 (delivery entrance machine) for delivery personnel in addition to the main entrance machine 112. The entry / exit machine 100 includes an entry machine 106 and an exit machine 108. The entry machine 106 is installed on the exterior wall, and the exit machine 108 is installed on the interior wall. Delivery personnel are assigned a passcode in advance. In this embodiment, the passcode is a number string of about 4 to 15 digits. The passcode may be a company ID that identifies the delivery personnel, or it may be configured as a combination of the company ID and the apartment ID that identifies apartment building 104. In this embodiment, the passcode is described as a 4-digit number string assigned to each company, rather than the company ID itself. The passcode may be changed periodically. When a delivery person is working on a delivery, they can enter the passcode into the touch panel (not shown) of the entry machine 106, which will unlock the entrance door 114 and allow them to enter apartment building 104. The delivery management server 200 registers the company ID and passcode in association. Hereafter, registered delivery companies will also be referred to as "registered companies."

[0020] When entering the building, delivery personnel enter a passcode and the number of packages being delivered. Upon completing their deliveries, delivery personnel enter a passcode and the number of packages being delivered into exit machine 108. If all packages are delivered, the number of packages being delivered will be zero.

[0021] Apartment building 104 has multiple floors. For example, a resident on the 4th floor can only go to the 1st and 4th floors. More specifically, when a resident enters the elevator, they hold an authentication key over a reader (not shown) attached to the wall of the elevator. The elevator reads the information "4th floor resident" from the authentication key and sets it so that only the 1st floor (ground floor) and the 4th floor (residential floor) can be selected as stop floors. Even for residents, their range of movement is limited to the bare minimum necessary. When a non-resident enters apartment building 104 at the request of a resident, the non-resident's stop floors are limited to the stop floors of the resident who requested the unlocking. For example, when a non-resident enters apartment building 104 at the request of a resident on the 4th floor, for a predetermined time after the entrance door 114 is unlocked, for example, 3 minutes, the elevator's stop floors are limited to the 1st and 4th floors.

[0022] Even if a non-resident manages to enter Apartment 104 by some means, their range of movement will be severely restricted by the elevator's stopping floor restrictions. Restricting stopping floors according to residents enhances the security of Apartment 104. Hereafter, the restriction of stopping floors within Apartment 104 will be referred to as the "stopping floor restriction function." The stopping floor restriction function is also effective in preventing the theft of packages left unattended.

[0023] Since delivery personnel are non-residents, their delivery work is restricted by the floor stopping restriction function. While the security of unattended deliveries is enhanced by the entry restriction by the front door 114 and the floor stopping restriction function, it makes it more difficult for delivery personnel to perform their deliveries. Therefore, in this embodiment, delivery personnel input not only a passcode and the number of packages to the entry machine 106, but also the floor they need to enter to deliver the packages (hereinafter referred to as the "designated floor"). At this time, the entry / exit machine 100 sets the designated floor as the "permitted floor (permitted area)" and sets the elevator's stopping floors to the 1st floor and the permitted floor. Details of the permitted floor will be described later in relation to Figure 4 and later.

[0024] Figure 3 is a functional block diagram of the delivery support system 110. Each component of the access control system 100 and the delivery management server 200 is realized by hardware including arithmetic units such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) and various coprocessors, memory and storage devices, and wired or wireless communication lines connecting them, as well as software stored in the storage devices that supplies processing instructions to the arithmetic units. The computer program may consist of device drivers, an operating system, various application programs located at a higher layer, and libraries that provide common functions to these programs. The blocks described below represent functional units, not hardware units.

[0025] Security system 150 is a system installed in apartment building 104 and manages the security of apartment building 104. Specifically, security system 150 unlocks the entrance door 114 and sets the permitted floors (floors where the vehicle can stop).

[0026] (Entry / exit machine 100) The access control system 100 includes an access control unit 106 and an access control unit 108 that can communicate with each other. The access control unit 106 includes a first input unit 122, an unlocking unit 124, an area control unit 126, a communication unit 128, and a data storage unit 134. The first input unit 122 receives input from the delivery company, including a passcode, the number of items entering the building, and the designated floor. The unlocking unit 124 instructs the security system 150 to unlock the front door 114. The area control unit 126 instructs the security system 150 to set the permitted floors. The communication unit 128 is responsible for communication processing with the delivery management server 200 and the security system 150. The communication unit 128 notifies the delivery management server 200 of the passcode, apartment ID, and number of items entering the building, and notifies the security system 150 of the permitted floors. The data storage unit 134 stores various data such as the apartment ID.

[0027] The exit device 108 includes a second input unit 130, a communication unit 132, and a data storage unit 135. The second input unit 130 receives the passcode and the number of items being removed from the delivery company. The communication unit 132 is responsible for communication processing with the delivery management server 200 and the security system 150. The communication unit 132 notifies the delivery management server 200 of the passcode, apartment ID, and number of items being removed. The data storage unit 135 stores various data such as the apartment ID.

[0028] (Delivery management server 200) The delivery management server 200 includes a communication unit 136, a delivery management unit 146, and a data storage unit 148. The data storage unit 148 stores various types of data. The delivery management unit 146 manages the delivery status for each apartment building 104 and each delivery company. The delivery management unit 146 also functions as an interface to the communication unit 136 and the data storage unit 148.

[0029] The communication unit 136 includes a receiving unit 138 that receives data from the access control device 100 and a transmitting unit 140 that transmits data to the access control device 100. The receiving unit 138 includes a first receiving unit 142 and a second receiving unit 144. The first receiving unit 142 receives the passcode, apartment ID, and number of items entering from the access control device 106. The second receiving unit 144 receives the passcode, apartment ID, and number of items leaving from the exit control device 108. The delivery management unit 146 calculates the redelivery rate (described later) for each apartment building 104 and each delivery company based on the number of items entering and leaving. Hereinafter, "redelivery rate" is defined as "number of items leaving / number of items entering". In other words, the "redelivery rate" means the percentage of delivered items that were returned because they could not be delivered out of the delivered items that entered the building. As mentioned above, the passcode is associated with the delivery company ID. Therefore, the delivery management unit 146 can identify the delivery company using the passcode.

[0030] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating the stop floor limiting function. Assume that apartment building 104, shown in Figure 4, is a 16-story building. As mentioned above, residents can only move between the 1st floor and their own floors. In Figure 4, suppose a delivery person wants to deliver packages to the 1st, 2nd, 7th, and 14th floors. The delivery person enters the number of packages to be delivered and the designated floors (1st, 2nd, 7th, and 14th floors) along with a passcode into the access machine 106. The area control unit 126 sets the designated floors as authorized floors. More specifically, the area control unit 126 instructs the communication unit 128 to transmit "1st, 2nd, 7th, and 14th floors (authorized floors)" along with the passcode to the security system 150. The security system 150 registers the passcode and the authorized floors in association.

[0031] When a delivery person enters the elevator cabin 160, they enter a passcode on an input screen (not shown) inside the cabin 160. The passcode is transmitted from cabin 160 to the security system 150. The security system 150 refers to the correspondence between the passcode and the authorized floors and notifies the elevator control device 162 of the authorized floors (1st, 2nd, 7th, and 14th floors). The elevator control device 162 sets the authorized floors as floors where the elevator can stop. This control method allows the delivery person to travel only to authorized floors. In the example shown in Figure 4, the delivery person can go to the 2nd floor but not to the 3rd floor.

[0032] Figure 5 is a flowchart showing the processing steps upon entry to the building. When entering the building, the delivery person enters a passcode into the entry machine 106 (S10). Figure 6 shows the passcode input screen displayed on the entry machine 106. The screen of the entry machine 106 is a touch panel. The delivery person enters a 4-digit passcode by operating the keypad and touching the confirmation button. The first input unit 122 obtains the passcode. The communication unit 128 transmits the passcode and apartment ID to the delivery management server 200, and the first receiving unit 142 receives the passcode. The data storage unit 148 of the delivery management server 200 has in advance stored the passcodes of registered delivery people who are allowed to enter apartment 104. The delivery management unit 146 authenticates the passcode by determining whether the received passcode matches any of the registered passcodes (S12).

[0033] If the passcode is not authenticated (N in S12), that is, if it does not match the passcode of a delivery person authorized to enter the building, the process ends without the delivery person being allowed to enter. If the passcode is authenticated (Y in S12), the first input unit 122 displays an input interface for entering the number of items to be entered on the screen of the entry machine 106. Figure 7 shows the input screen for the number of items to be entered displayed on the entry machine 106. The delivery person enters the number of items to be entered using the numeric keypad and touches the confirmation button (S14). As mentioned above, the number of items to be entered is the number of packages that the delivery person brings to apartment building 104. The communication unit 128 notifies the delivery management server 200 of the number of items to be entered along with the passcode and apartment ID, and the first receiving unit 142 receives the number of items to be entered (S16). The delivery management unit 146 stores the passcode and the number of items to be entered in the data storage unit 148. Furthermore, the entry machine 106 notifies the exit machine 108 of a passcode indicating "a delivery person currently inside the building" as the "entry passcode," and the exit machine 108 stores the entry passcode in the data storage unit 135.

[0034] Next, the delivery person enters the floor they need to enter for delivery (designated floor) (S18). The area control unit 126 notifies the security system 150 of the designated floor as an authorized floor, and the security system 150 sets the authorized floor (floor where stopping is permitted) (S20). The unlocking unit 124 instructs the security system 150 to unlock the front door 114 (S22). After the above process, the delivery person can enter the building through the front door 114. As described above, the data storage unit 134 stores the entry passcode as the passcode of the delivery person while inside the building.

[0035] Figure 8 is a flowchart showing the processing steps upon leaving the building. When the delivery person leaves the building, they enter a passcode into the exit machine 108 (S30). The passcode input screen on the exit machine 108 is the same as the input screen on the entry machine 106 shown in Figure 6. The second input unit 130 obtains the passcode. The second input unit 130 determines whether the passcode entered into the exit machine 108 matches any of the entry passcodes stored in the data storage unit 134 (S32). If the passcode entered in S30 does not match any of the entry passcodes, authentication fails (S32), and the communication unit 132 sends an intrusion notification to the delivery management server 200 (S38). At this time, the transmission unit 140 of the delivery management server 200 notifies the communication terminal used by the building manager of apartment building 104 that there has been an unauthorized entry. Alternatively, the communication unit 132 of the exit machine 108 may directly send an intrusion notification to the building manager of apartment building 104.

[0036] Once the passcode is authenticated, the exit machine 108 displays an input interface for the number of items to be left. Figure 9 shows the input screen for the number of items to be left displayed on the exit machine 108. The delivery person enters the number of items to be left using the keypad and touches the confirmation button (S34). The second input unit 130 acquires the number of items to be left, and the communication unit 132 notifies the delivery management server 200 of the number of items to be left along with the passcode and apartment ID (S36). The exit machine 108 deletes the entry passcode from the data storage unit 135. The delivery management unit 146 of the delivery management server 200 can recognize how many packages were brought in and how many of them were taken back without being delivered by receiving the number of packages brought in and the number of packages to be left.

[0037] Figure 10 shows the data structure diagram for the redelivery rate information 170. The redelivery rate information 170 is stored in the data storage unit 148 of the delivery management server 200. The redelivery rate information 170 shows the aggregate value for a predetermined unit period, for example, one month. The delivery management unit 146 updates the redelivery rate information 170 each time the number of items entering and leaving the building is received. According to Figure 10, the delivery company with company ID=D01 (hereinafter referred to as "delivery company (D01)") made a total of 2517 deliveries and delivered a total of 2021 deliveries during this unit period. At this time, the delivery management department 146 calculates the redelivery rate as 13 (%) (=(2517-2201) / 2517). In other words, the redelivery rate here is defined as the number of packages left the building / the number of packages entered the building during the unit period. By calculating the redelivery rate, the delivery work efficiency of each delivery company can be estimated. Note that "100 (%) - redelivery rate" becomes the "delivery success rate". The delivery management department 146 may manage redelivery rate information 170 for each apartment building 104 and for each delivery company.

[0038] [Summary] The delivery support system 110 has been described above based on the embodiments described above. The delivery support system 110 promotes contactless delivery. With contactless delivery, recipients can receive their packages without specifying a delivery time, making successful deliveries easier. Reducing redeliveries not only eliminates the inefficiency caused by delivery companies repeatedly transporting the same package, but also reduces carbon dioxide emissions associated with the unnecessary transport of packages.

[0039] In this embodiment, the delivery person enters the number of packages to enter into the building into the entry machine 106 before entering apartment building 104. By comparing the number of packages to be delivered with the number of packages actually brought into apartment building 104 (number of packages entered), it is possible to reduce delivery errors at the site. The transportation company registers a certain apartment building 104 and the number of packages to be delivered to this apartment building 104, along with the scheduled delivery date, in the delivery management server 200 in advance. For example, suppose the number of packages to be delivered to apartment building 104a is 10, but the number of packages entered into the entry machine 106 is 9. Such a discrepancy in the number of packages could be due to various reasons, such as an error in entering the number of packages entered, or one package remaining in the delivery vehicle. In this case, the entry / exit machine 100 may send a warning notification to the delivery person's tablet stating that "the number of packages entered is too low."

[0040] Similarly, when a delivery person leaves apartment 104, they enter the number of packages they are leaving into the exit machine 108. By comparing the number of packages that the delivery person took back without being able to deliver with the number of packages they left, delivery errors can be reduced. For example, suppose that in apartment 104, the number of packages entered for departure was 2, but only 1 package was actually taken back. Possible causes of such discrepancies in the numbers include errors in entering the number of packages to leave or packages being lost on the way back. By entering the number of packages entering and leaving the building, lost packages and delivery errors can be detected early.

[0041] The unlocking unit 124 will not open the front door 114 unless the delivery person's passcode is authenticated, thus maintaining the security of apartment building 104. Furthermore, if the passcode is not authenticated, the screen for entering the number of people entering or leaving the building will not be displayed, preventing children or others from tampering with the entry / exit machine 100. In addition, in this embodiment, the delivery person enters a designated floor, and the area control unit 126 sets the designated floor as an authorized floor. By restricting the delivery person's movement to only authorized floors, it is possible to achieve both security for apartment building 104 and efficient delivery operations.

[0042] Some shipping companies issue points equivalent to cash to recipients when they successfully deliver a package on the first attempt. The delivery management server 200 provides each shipping company with the redelivery rate information 170 shown in Figure 10. This redelivery rate information 170 allows the server to determine how many points each shipping company will need to issue in the future. To reduce redeliveries, the government is also considering providing financial assistance to shipping companies based on the amount of packages delivered on the first attempt (hereinafter referred to as "first-time deliveries"). If such a system is introduced, shipping companies will need to accurately report the number of first-time deliveries to the government. The delivery management server 200 can collect and manage on-site data such as the number of packages entering and leaving a building from each entry / exit machine 100, and therefore can provide evidence regarding the number of first-time deliveries reported by shipping companies.

[0043] In particular, for small and medium-sized transportation companies, the administrative burden of recording the number of initial deliveries out of all deliveries and submitting this information to the government is considered to be extremely significant. The delivery support system 110 can calculate the number of initial deliveries for each transportation company based on the number of packages entered and left by each delivery person, thus alleviating the administrative burden on transportation companies.

[0044] As an alternative, one could consider a method in which a passcode serving as a package ID is written on the delivery slip, and entry is determined based on whether the package ID is valid. However, in such a method, the delivery slip effectively becomes the "key," requiring careful management of all slips, which is considered to pose a significant security risk. In this embodiment, the access control system 100 determines whether a delivery person is allowed to enter the building based on a passcode that identifies the delivery company, rather than a package ID that identifies the package. Therefore, security can be maintained as long as the delivery company does not leak the passcode. It is desirable for the delivery company's passcode to be changed periodically.

[0045] Currently, many apartment buildings (104) have automatic locks but lack delivery boxes for apartment complexes. The delivery support system 110 in this embodiment can promote unattended delivery to such apartment buildings (104).

[0046] It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments and modifications described above, and the components can be modified and implemented without departing from the spirit of the invention. Various inventions may be formed by appropriately combining the multiple components disclosed in the embodiments and modifications described above. In addition, some components may be deleted from all the components shown in the embodiments and modifications described above.

[0047] [Differentiation] Figure 11 shows the data structure diagram of the delivery performance information 180 in a modified example. The delivery performance information 180 is stored in the data storage unit 148 of the delivery management server 200. The delivery performance information 180 indicates whether or not a delivery was completed for a particular apartment building 104. In this modified example, the delivery company inputs the package ID that identifies the delivery, the residential ID that identifies each unit in apartment building 104, and whether or not the delivery was completed into the access control device 100.

[0048] First, upon entering the building, the delivery company enters not only the passcode and the number of packages being entered, but also the package ID and the residential ID of the delivery address into the entry machine 106. Alternatively, the delivery company may have a QR code (registered trademark) containing the package ID and residential ID pre-printed on the delivery slip, and then read the package ID and residential ID from the slip using a handheld scanner before entering them into the entry machine 106. The communication unit 128 notifies the delivery management server 200 of the apartment ID and passcode, as well as the residential ID and package ID. The delivery management unit 146 of the delivery management server 200 associates the residential ID and package ID and registers them in the delivery performance information 180.

[0049] When leaving the building, the delivery person enters their passcode, the number of packages to be taken out, and the package ID of the packages to be taken back into the exit machine 108. The communication unit 132 notifies the delivery management server 200 of the package ID and house ID of the packages to be taken out. The delivery management unit 146 of the delivery management server 200 registers whether each package can be delivered or not in the delivery performance information 180.

[0050] According to the delivery record information 180 in Figure 11, a package with package ID=B04 (hereinafter referred to as "package (B04)") was delivered to the house with house ID=R01 (hereinafter referred to as "house (R01)"). A package (B09) was also delivered to house (R04), but the package (B17) intended for house (R05) could not be delivered and was taken back. In other words, in the exit machine 108, package ID=B17 was entered as the package ID of the "package that was taken back".

[0051] Figure 12 shows the data structure diagram of the delivery failure information 190 in a modified example. The delivery failure count information 190 is stored in the data storage unit 148 of the delivery management server 200. The delivery failure count information 190 indicates the number of times each delivery failed. The delivery management unit 146 updates the delivery failure count information 190 each time data is received upon entry and exit from the building. In the delivery failure count information 190 shown in Figure 12, the number of delivery failures for delivery item (B01) is 0. This means that delivery item (B01) has not been delivered even once, or that it was successfully delivered on the first attempt.

[0052] Delivery item (B04) had 0 delivery failures and, according to delivery performance information 180 (Figure 11), was successfully delivered. Therefore, it can be seen that delivery item (B04) was successfully delivered on its first attempt. Delivery item (B09) had 1 delivery failure and, according to Figure 11, was successfully delivered. That is, it can be seen that delivery item (B09) failed once but was successfully delivered on its second attempt. Delivery item (B17) had 1 delivery failure and, according to Figure 11, was unsuccessful. In this case, the delivery management unit 146 updates the number of delivery failures for delivery item (B17) to 2.

[0053] In the modified version, the number of delivery failures for each package can be precisely managed. As a result, the delivery management server 200 can provide accurate information for each delivery company regarding "which houses are prone to delivery failures," "how many delivery failures there are for each package," and "which packages were successfully delivered on the first attempt."

[0054] As shown in the modified example, by managing the number of delivery failures for each package, initial deliveries can be managed more precisely.

[0055] In this embodiment, the explanation was based on the premise of leaving packages at the door, but the delivery support system 110 can be applied to other methods as well. For example, when packages are handed over in person at apartment building 104, there is a high possibility of redelivery. By managing the number of packages entering and leaving the building using the delivery support system 110, the efficiency of the delivery work can be determined even when packages are handed over in person. Even if apartment building 104 has a common delivery box, delivery failures can still occur. For example, the delivery box may be broken, or it may be full and unable to accept packages. Even when using a delivery box, the delivery management technology of the delivery support system 110 can be applied.

[0056] Various items can be expected to be delivered, such as food like pizza or dry-cleaned clothes.

[0057] The main entrance panel 112 and the entrance panel 106 of the access control panel 100 may be formed as a single unit. The entrance panel 106 may be embedded in the wall of the apartment building 104, or it may be configured as a stand-alone type. Alternatively, the entrance panel 106 may be installed in a "false wall" formed in the wall of the apartment building 104.

[0058] In the entrance / exit system 100, the entrance unit 106 and the exit unit 108 may be formed as a single unit. In this case, the entrance / exit system 100 is installed on the outdoor side of the entrance hall 120.

[0059] The passcode may be entered as a number, or it may be represented as a graphic such as a QR code (registered trademark). For example, a delivery person may display the passcode as a QR code on their tablet and have the camera of the access machine 106 read this QR code. In addition, the access machine 106 may identify the delivery person using biometric information such as the delivery person's facial image.

[0060] In this embodiment, the number of packages left behind was explained as the number of packages brought in that could not be delivered and had to be taken back. As a variation, the number of packages left behind may be the number of packages brought in that were successfully delivered.

[0061] In this embodiment, it has been explained that access restrictions are imposed on each floor. However, the area where access permission should be determined is not limited to floors. For example, in the case of apartment building 104, which has both offices and residences, residents may be prohibited from entering the office area, and the residential area may be designated as an accessible area. In this case, when delivering packages to the office, access to the residential floors by delivery personnel may be restricted, and only the office floors may be designated as an accessible area.

[0062] The same applies when a single floor is divided into multiple areas. For example, suppose there are three areas, A, B, and C, on the second floor of apartment building 104, and the residence to which the delivery is to be made is in area A. In this case, the delivery company requests the access control 106 to designate "2nd floor: A" as the permitted area.

[0063] When the delivery person's passcode is authenticated, the area control unit 126 may set the entire area of ​​apartment building 104 as an permitted area. The area control unit 126 may also limit the amount of time the delivery person is allowed to stay in apartment building 104. For example, if the area control unit 126 sets the allowed stay time to 20 minutes, the delivery person must complete the delivery and leave apartment building 104 within 20 minutes. Once the allowed stay time has elapsed, the communication unit 128 notifies the building manager of apartment building 104. This control method can further enhance security within apartment building 104.

[0064] The area control unit 126 may make the permitted stay time for delivery personnel variable. The area control unit 126 may set a longer permitted stay time when there are many packages entering the building. Alternatively, the area control unit 126 may set a longer time limit when there are many permitted areas.

[0065] The shipping company may pre-register the correspondence between packages and permitted areas in the delivery management server 200. For example, suppose a package (B14) is associated with area X. When a delivery person enters the building, the entry machine 106 queries the delivery management server 200 for the area corresponding to the package (B14), and the area control unit 126 may automatically set area X, which is the corresponding area, as the permitted area.

[0066] The access control unit 100 may automatically select an authorized area by reading the address from the delivery slip using image recognition. For example, if the delivery destination of the package is "Room 410", the area control unit 126 may automatically set the 4th floor as the authorized area. The access control unit 100 may also be equipped with a removable reader for reading the package ID, carrier ID, etc., from the delivery slip or the nameplate of the delivery company.

[0067] Delivery drivers can leave apartment 104 without having to enter a passcode or perform any other action at the exit machine 108. If a delivery driver leaves apartment 104 without completing the exit process, the entry / exit machine 100 sends a warning signal to the delivery management server 200. Specifically, if a delivery driver has completed the entry process at the entry machine 106, but has not completed the exit process after a predetermined time, for example, one hour, the delivery driver may be warned. The delivery management server 200 may also report delivery drivers who have not completed the exit process to the building manager of apartment 104. The manager can also set such delivery drivers to be banned from entering the building.

[0068] The passcode may include a delivery person ID to identify the delivery person. By managing the delivery person ID, it is possible to manage who delivered what package and when. The access control 100 may notify the delivery management server 200 of the delivery person ID, the number of packages entered, the number of packages left, as well as the time of entry and exit. The delivery management unit 146 may notify the manager of apartment building 104 or the transportation company to which the delivery person belongs of the delivery person's ID if their stay in apartment building 104 exceeds a predetermined time, thereby warning them not to stay in apartment building 104 longer than necessary.

[0069] By managing delivery driver IDs, package IDs for deliveries handled by the drivers, and package IDs for deliveries successfully delivered by the drivers, the delivery management unit 146 can calculate the redelivery rate for each driver. By aggregating delivery performance for each driver, it becomes easier to calculate drivers' compensation based on performance.

[0070] The delivery management department 146 may calculate the redelivery rate for each apartment building 104. For apartment buildings 104 with few redeliveries, it is possible to advertise them as "apartment buildings 104 that are easy to leave packages at." Conversely, to reduce the redelivery rate for apartment buildings 104 with many redeliveries, installing delivery lockers would be effective. By calculating the redelivery rate for each apartment building 104, the necessity of installing delivery lockers for each apartment building 104 can be reasonably estimated.

[0071] When a delivery person leaves a package unattended, they may send a photo of the unattended package to the delivery management server 200 or the recipient's smartphone. The delivery management unit 146 may register the photo of the unattended package in the data storage unit 148, along with the package ID and house ID.

[0072] In this embodiment, the passcode authentication was described as being performed by the delivery management server 200. As a variation, the passcode authentication may be performed by the access control device 100 instead of the delivery management server 200. Specifically, the passcodes of registered carriers are stored in advance in the data storage unit 134 of the access control device 106. When a delivery carrier enters a passcode into the access control device 106, the delivery management unit (not shown) of the access control device 106 may authenticate the passcode. Similarly, the passcodes of registered carriers are stored in advance in the data storage unit 135 of the access control device 108. When a delivery carrier enters a passcode into the access control device 108, the delivery management unit (not shown) of the access control device 108 should authenticate the passcode. The delivery management server 200 may update the passcodes of registered carriers as appropriate and notify the access control device 106 and the access control device 108 of the updated passcodes.

[0073] The administrator of the delivery management server 200 can manage data using user terminals such as tablets, smartphones, and laptop PCs. For example, the administrator can access the delivery management server 200 from a laptop PC to check data such as redelivery rates, and remotely manage things like adding or deleting registered carriers and changing passcodes.

[0074] The administrator may manage entry and exit times for each apartment building 104 using a user terminal. For example, the administrator may set the above-mentioned maximum stay time for each apartment building 104. The entry machine 106 may be equipped with an entry recording unit that records the unlocking time when the front door 114 is unlocked. The delivery management unit 146 of the delivery management server 200 may acquire logs of entry and exit times for each apartment building 104 and each delivery company. The delivery management server 200 or the entry / exit machine 106 is equipped with a stay time measurement unit that measures the elapsed time from the unlocking time. Even for apartment buildings 104 that do not have a function to restrict the permitted area, such as a stop floor restriction function, the administrator may set the maximum stay time or the permitted entry time period (permitted time period). Specifically, the delivery management server 200 is equipped with a permitted time period setting unit that sets the permitted entry time period, which is the time period during which delivery companies are allowed to stay. For apartment building 104a, the administrator may set the maximum stay time per delivery by a delivery company to 20 minutes. Alternatively, the administrator may restrict the permitted entry time for delivery personnel to another apartment building 104b to between 8:00 AM and 9:00 PM. The delivery management server 200 transmits information indicating the permitted entry time to the entry / exit machine 100. The entry / exit machine 106 of apartment building 104b grants entry to the delivery personnel on the condition that it is within the permitted entry time when they enter a passcode. The communication unit 136 of the entry / exit machine 100 of apartment building 104b may send a warning to an external device such as the administrator's terminal of apartment building 104b if the delivery personnel who entered have not completed the exit procedure by 9:00 PM. The communication unit 136 may also send a warning to an external device such as the administrator's terminal of apartment building 104b if the delivery personnel who entered have not completed the exit procedure even after a predetermined time limit, for example 20 minutes, has elapsed since the time of unlocking.

[0075] Figure 13 is a schematic diagram of apartment building 104 where delivery boxes are installed. While it is important to enhance security when leaving packages unattended, delivery boxes are safer. Therefore, in apartment building 104, which has delivery boxes, it is desirable to prioritize the use of delivery boxes over unattended delivery. Apartment building 104, shown in Figure 13, has a delivery box room 202 where delivery boxes are installed, separate from the entrance hall 120.

[0076] In this modified example, the entry device 106 is installed in the delivery box. Meanwhile, the main entrance device 112 and the exit device 108 are installed in the entrance hall 120. The delivery person first enters the delivery box room 202. If the delivery box is available, the delivery person places the package in the delivery box. If the delivery box is unavailable due to a malfunction or lack of available boxes, the delivery person operates the entry device 106 attached to the delivery box to input the number of packages to be delivered. Once the number of packages is entered, the entrance door 114 is unlocked by a control mechanism described later. At this time, the delivery person enters the apartment building 104 and leaves the package.

[0077] If the access machine 106 is installed in the entrance hall 120, delivery drivers may prioritize leaving packages at the door rather than going to the delivery box room 202. If the access machine 106 is installed in the delivery box instead of the entrance hall 120, delivery drivers can be guided to try using the delivery box first before leaving packages at the door.

[0078] Figure 14 is a front view of the delivery box 204. The delivery box 204 includes three boxes 208 for storing packages, a receiving device 206 for placing packages into the delivery box 204, and an access machine 106. The access machine 106 is connected to the delivery management server 200. The three boxes 208 include one box 208 (storage compartment) capable of accommodating large packages and two boxes 208 for medium or small packages. The delivery company operates the touch panel on the receiving device 206 to input the package size. The receiving device 206 manages the storage status of each box 208 and selects the destination box 208 from the available boxes 208.

[0079] The receiving device 206 and the access control unit 106 are connected by a communication bus. When no available boxes 208 are available, the receiving device 206 notifies the access control unit 106 that the box is unavailable. When a delivery company wishes to store a large package and the large box 208 is unavailable, the receiving device 206 also notifies the access control unit 106 that the box is unavailable. In addition, the receiving device 206 periodically transmits a confirmation signal to the access control unit 106. If the access control unit 106 does not receive a confirmation signal, it can recognize that the delivery box 204 is unavailable for some reason, such as being powered off or malfunctioning.

[0080] Figure 15 is a flowchart showing the operation flow of the receiving device 206 and the access machine 106 in the delivery box 204. When a delivery person brings a package into the delivery box room 202, if the receiving device 206 is functioning normally (Y in S40) and the package can be placed in the delivery box 204 (Y in S42), the delivery person places the package in the designated box 208 (S44). In this case, the entry machine 106 is deactivated, so the delivery person cannot enter the apartment building 104 through the front door 114.

[0081] When the receiving device 206 is not functioning correctly, that is, when the entry machine 106 has not received a confirmation signal from the receiving device 206 (N in S40), the first input unit 122 of the entry machine 106 is activated to accept operations from the delivery company. The delivery company performs the entry process shown in Figure 5, such as entering the number of items to be received into the entry machine 106 (S46).

[0082] If a delivery box 204 is functioning normally but the delivery company cannot place a package into the delivery box 204 (N in S42), the delivery company performs an entry process (S46). The cases in which a package cannot be placed into the delivery box 204 are: (1) when there are no available boxes 208; (2) when the package to be placed is large but there are no available large boxes 208; or (3) when the number of available boxes 208 is less than the number of packages brought in by the delivery company. In case (3), if the boxes 208 become full while the delivery company is placing packages into the delivery box 204 one by one, and the delivery company attempts to place another package into the entry device 206, the entry device 206 notifies the entry machine 106 that it is unavailable.

[0083] According to the control method described above, the delivery person can operate the access machine 106 only when it is not possible to place a package into the delivery box 204. In the access process (S46), the delivery person inputs the number of packages (the number of packages that could not be placed into the delivery box 204) into the access machine 106. When the number of packages is input, the communication unit 128 of the access machine 106 sends an unlocking signal to the security system 150. The security system 150 has a pre-set delay time and opening time. For example, suppose the delay time is 2 minutes and the opening time is 30 seconds. In this case, the security system 150 unlocks the front door 114 2 minutes after receiving the unlocking signal. If the motion sensor 116 detects a person during the opening time from 2 minutes to 30 seconds, the front door 114 opens. After the opening time has elapsed, the security system 150 locks the front door 114.

[0084] The lock remains in place for the estimated delay time it takes for the delivery person to travel from the delivery box room 202 to the entrance hall 120, thus reducing the risk of an outsider entering apartment building 104 immediately after the entry process is completed. The delivery person enters the number of packages into the entry machine 106 and then proceeds to the entrance hall 120 with the packages. If the delivery person stands in front of the entrance door 114, the door will temporarily open after the delay time has elapsed, allowing them to enter the building. By limiting the opening time, the risk of an outsider entering apartment building 104 after the delivery person has entered is reduced. Furthermore, the security system 150 may not only unlock but also open the front door 114 during the opening hours. The security system 150 will close and lock the front door 114 when the opening hours have ended.

[0085] The receiving device 206 may be configured to enable the access machine 106, provided that the delivery company performs some operation on the receiving device 206. Operating the receiving device 206 means that the delivery company has attempted to use the delivery box 204. After operating the receiving device 206, delivery to a designated location may be permitted.

[0086] Even if the delivery person does not operate the receiving device 206, the delivery person may still be allowed to use the access machine 106. Since the access machine 106 is attached to the delivery box 204, the delivery person cannot operate the access machine 106 unless they come to the delivery box room 202. If the delivery person comes to the delivery box room 202, they will likely try to use the delivery box 204. Based on this reasoning, it is considered that the rule of prioritizing the use of the delivery box 204 over contactless delivery will be effectively followed even without requiring operation of the receiving device 206.

[0087] Delivery personnel may be provided with communication terminals such as tablets (hereinafter referred to as "delivery terminals"). The communication unit 132 of the exit device 108 communicates with the delivery terminal via short-range wireless communication. When a delivery terminal is nearby, the exit device 108 may send a message to the delivery terminal reminding it to enter the number of packages to be left before completing the delivery. Alternatively, the delivery management unit 146 of the delivery management server 200 may send a similar message to the delivery terminal of a delivery company that has elapsed a predetermined amount of time since entering the building.

[0088] The number of packages to be removed may be entered from the delivery terminal. When the delivery person approaches the exit machine 108, they enter the number of packages to be removed into the delivery terminal. The delivery terminal transmits the number of packages to the exit machine 108 via short-range wireless communication.

[0089] The security system 150 may immediately unlock the front door 114 upon receiving an unlocking signal, without setting a delay time. In the case of an apartment building 104 where the entrance hall 120 and the delivery box room 202 are adjacent, it is possible to shorten or eliminate the delay time. The delay time and unlocking time can be freely set by the apartment building manager using the access control system 106, etc.

[0090] In the example described above, it was explained that the access control 106 transmits an unlocking signal to the security system 150, the security system 150 unlocks the entrance door 114 after a delay period has elapsed, and locks the entrance door 114 again after an open period has elapsed. Alternatively, the entry machine 106 may send an unlock signal to the security system 150 after a delay has elapsed following the input of the number of people entering, and the security system 150 may unlock the entrance door 114 upon receiving the unlock signal. The entry machine 106 may send a lock signal to the security system 150 after the open time has elapsed, and the security system 150 may lock the entrance door 114 upon receiving the lock signal.

[0091] Alternatively, when the number of people entering is entered, the entry machine 106 may send an unlocking signal to the security system 150 that includes a delay time and an unlocking time as parameters. The security system 150 may manage the time according to the parameters of the unlocking signal and unlock and lock the entrance door 114 at the specified timing.

[0092] The receiving device 206 and the entry machine 106 may be integrated. In this case, the delivery person enters a passcode at the receiving device 206. When the delivery box 204 is full or otherwise unavailable, the receiving device 206 may display a screen for entering the number of items to be received, as shown in Figure 7.

[0093] An exit device 108 may be installed on the delivery box 204. In this case, delivery personnel will also stop by the delivery box room 202 when leaving the building. By equipping the delivery box 204 with both an entry device 106 and an exit device 108, construction work to install the exit device 108 in the entrance hall 120 becomes unnecessary. In other words, simply by installing the delivery box 204 in the apartment building 104, the apartment building 104 can be provided with the additional function of managing the number of packages entering and leaving the building.

[0094] The access machine 106 may be mounted on the wall of the delivery box room 202 instead of the delivery box 204. In this case as well, the delivery person would still need to enter the delivery box room 202, and it is likely that once inside the delivery box room 202, they would prioritize using the delivery box 204 over leaving packages unattended. If the access machine 106 is installed in the delivery box room 202, the rule of prioritizing the delivery box 204 over leaving packages unattended can be enforced for the delivery person.

[0095] Figure 16 is a functional block diagram of the delivery support system 110 in a modified example. In this modified example, the delivery support system 110 includes a security system 150, a first entry device 210, a storage device 206, and a second entry device 212. The first entry device 210 and the storage device 206 are mounted in the delivery box 204. The first entry device 210 corresponds to the entry device 106 shown in Figure 14. The first entry device 210 has a monitor with a touch panel (not shown). The first entry device 210 only needs to be installed in the delivery box room 202. The storage device 206 is a device for performing the operation of storing packages in the delivery box 204. The first entry device 210 authenticates the user of the delivery company. The first entry device 210 is connected to the security system 150 by wireless or wired connection.

[0096] The security system 150 manages the opening and closing of the entrance door 114 (apartment entrance). The entrance door 114 is normally locked. The second access control device 212 is installed in the entrance hall 120 and authenticates delivery personnel. The second access control device 212 only needs to be installed at a position closer to the entrance door 114 than the first access control device 210.

[0097] The first access unit 210 includes a communication unit 214, a setting unit 216, a first authentication unit 218, and a detection unit 220. The communications unit 214 is responsible for processing communications with the security system 150. The settings unit 216 receives the settings for delay time and opening time from the manager of apartment building 104. The first authentication unit 218 receives the input of a passcode from the delivery company and authenticates the delivery company as a user. The first entry machine 210 has in advance stored passcodes of delivery companies that are allowed to enter apartment building 104 (hereinafter referred to as "registration codes"). When the entered passcode matches one of several registration codes, the first authentication unit 218 authenticates the delivery company as a legitimate delivery company (registered company).

[0098] The detection unit 220 detects various inputs to the setting unit 216. In this modified example, the delivery person first carries the package to the delivery box room 202 and enters a passcode into the first access machine 210. Once the first access machine 210 successfully authenticates the user with the passcode, the first authentication unit 218 sets the storage device 206 to be operable. If it is not possible to store all of the packages brought into the storage device 206, the storage device 206 notifies the first access machine 210 that it is unavailable. When it is unavailable, the monitor (not shown) of the first access machine 210 displays an "release button". When the user touches the release button (a predetermined operation), the detection unit 220 detects this touch.

[0099] The second access machine 212 includes a second authentication unit 226. The second authentication unit 226 receives a passcode input from the delivery company and authenticates the delivery company as a user. A registration code is also stored in the second access machine 212. The second authentication unit 226 performs user authentication by comparing the entered passcode with the registration code.

[0100] The security system 150 includes a communication unit 222 and an opening / closing control unit 224. The communication unit 222 is responsible for communication processing with the first access machine 210. The opening / closing control unit 224 controls the opening and closing of the entrance door 114. In this modified example, the opening / closing control unit 224 has a delay time and an opening time pre-registered. When it receives an unlocking signal from the first access machine 210, the opening / closing control unit 224 starts a timer, unlocks the entrance door 114 after the delay time has elapsed, and then locks the entrance door 114 again after the opening time has elapsed. More specifically, if a person stands in the entrance hall 120 after the delay time has elapsed but before the opening time has elapsed, the motion sensor reacts and the entrance door 114 opens.

[0101] In this modified example, the delivery person must first move to the delivery box room 202 with the package and attempt to place the package into the shared delivery box 204. The delivery person enters a passcode into the first access machine 210 located in the delivery box room 202. If user authentication is successful using the passcode, the delivery person can operate the storage device 206. As described above, (1) if there are no available boxes 208, the storage device 206 notifies the first access machine 210 that it is unavailable. (2) if the package to be stored is large but there are no available large boxes 208, and (3) if the number of available boxes 208 is less than the number of packages brought in by the delivery person, the delivery person touches the "unavailable" button displayed on the storage device 206. In this case as well, the storage device 206 notifies the first access machine 210 that it is unavailable. In the case of (3), the delivery person places some of the packages they brought into an empty box 208 and then touches the "cannot be admitted" button. When the first access control 210 is notified that it is unavailable, it activates the "release button". The first access control 210 also activates the "release button" when it cannot receive the confirmation signal mentioned above.

[0102] When a delivery person touches the unlock button, the communication unit 214 of the first access device 210 sends an unlock signal to the security system 150. Upon receiving the unlock signal, the opening / closing control unit 224 starts a timer and unlocks the front door 114 after a predetermined delay time has elapsed. After the front door 114 is unlocked, the opening / closing control unit 224 locks the front door 114 after another predetermined open time has elapsed. If user authentication is not successful at the first access device 210, the delivery person cannot undergo user authentication at the second access device 212. The role of the second access device 212 will be described later.

[0103] With this control method, delivery personnel cannot simply leave packages unattended. First, the delivery personnel carry the packages to the delivery box room 202, authenticate the user at the first access machine 210, and then attempt to place the packages into the delivery box 204. If it is not possible to place all the packages, the first access machine 210 activates the open button. When the delivery personnel touch the open button, the front door 114 is unlocked after a delay period has elapsed. This delay period is set to account for the time required for the delivery personnel to move from the delivery box room 202 to the front hall 120. This modified example makes it possible to implement a process where packages are placed in the shared delivery box 204, and only when this is not possible is unattended delivery possible.

[0104] If a delivery driver is unable to place a package in the delivery box 204, they carry the package to the entrance hall 120. If the delivery driver waits in the entrance hall 120, the entrance door 114 will be automatically unlocked after the delay period has elapsed, allowing the delivery driver to enter the apartment building 104. If the delivery driver has already received user authentication at the first entry machine 210, they can enter the building without undergoing user authentication again at the second entry machine 212, thus making it easier to maintain delivery work efficiency.

[0105] The administrator can freely set and change the delay time and opening time. When the administrator changes the delay time at the first access machine 210, the communication unit 214 notifies the security system 150 of the changed delay time. The opening / closing control unit 224 saves the updated delay time. The same applies to the opening time.

[0106] If the delay time is too short, the front door 114 will be relocked by the time the delivery person leaves the delivery box room 202 and reaches the entrance hall 120. On the other hand, if the delay time is too long, the delivery person will have to wait even after reaching the entrance hall 120 until the front door 114 is unlocked. It is desirable for the building manager to set an appropriate delay time, taking into account the size and structure of apartment 104.

[0107] Similarly, if the opening time is too short, the front door 114 will be relocked by the time the delivery person reaches the entrance hall 120. On the other hand, if the opening time is too long, it becomes easier for non-residents to enter the apartment building 104. Therefore, it is desirable for the building manager to set an appropriate opening time, taking into consideration not only the efficiency of delivery work but also security.

[0108] If a delivery person has been authenticated at the first access device 210, they can unlock the front door 114 by being authenticated at the second access device 212, even before the delay time has elapsed. When the first authentication unit 218 of the first access device 210 successfully authenticates the delivery person, it transmits the delivery person's passcode (hereinafter referred to as the "verified code") to the second access device 212 via the security system 150. The second access device 212 stores the transmitted verified code for a certain period of time. Specifically, after receiving the verified code, it stores the passcode for a storage time defined as "delay time + unlock time + reserve value". The reserve value can be set arbitrarily. When the second authentication unit 226 receives the verified code, it starts a timer and stores the verified code in its internal memory, and deletes the verified code from the internal memory when the storage time has elapsed.

[0109] If the delivery person arrives early at the entrance hall 120, they may enter a passcode into the second access machine 212. The second authentication unit 226 of the second access machine 212 sends an unlock signal to the security system 150 if the entered passcode matches a verified code, in other words, if the same passcode entered is the same as the passcode authenticated by the user at the first access machine 210. At this time, the opening / closing control unit 224 immediately unlocks the entrance door 114 and locks the entrance door 114 after the open time has elapsed.

[0110] This control method prevents delivery personnel from being kept waiting excessively in the entrance hall 120. Even if a long delay time is set, if the delivery personnel are authenticated at the second entry machine 212, they can enter the apartment building 104 even before the delay time has elapsed. If user authentication is successful at the first entry machine 210, the entrance door 114 can be unlocked immediately, so the delivery personnel will not be kept waiting in the entrance hall 120 indefinitely.

[0111] Even after the opening time has elapsed, if the storage time (> delay time + opening time) has not elapsed, the delivery person can enter apartment building 104 by undergoing user authentication at the second entry machine 212. If a short delay time or opening time is set, even if it takes time for the delivery person to reach the entrance hall 120, the delivery person will not need to return to the delivery box room 202 and undergo user authentication again at the first entry machine 210.

[0112] The setting unit 216 may accept changes to the delay time from the delivery company. Specifically, the delay time may be adjusted within a range of 90% to 110% of the already set delay time. For example, suppose the delay time is set to "50 seconds". A delivery company that is confident they can reach the entrance hall 120 quickly due to having few packages to leave unattended or being fast on their feet can shorten the delay time in the first entry device 210. For example, when a delivery company shortens the delay time to "45 seconds", the communication unit 214 transmits a delay time of "45 seconds" along with an unlock signal to the security system 150. In this case, the opening / closing control unit 224 will unlock the entrance door 114 after 45 seconds. The opening time may also be changed by the delivery company in a similar manner.

[0113] On the other hand, delivery companies that have a large amount of luggage or whose delivery to the entrance hall 120 may take a long time due to the recipient's age can extend the delay time at the first entry machine 210.

[0114] The setting unit 216 may adjust the delay time based on the number or size of packages brought by the delivery person. The delivery person inputs the number, size, and weight of packages to be left at the door into the first access machine 210 and then touches the release button. At this time, the setting unit 216 adjusts the delay time based on the number of packages, etc., and sends the unlock signal along with the adjusted delay time to the security system 150.

[0115] For example, the setting unit 216 may set it so that the delay time is not changed if there are three or fewer packages, the delay time is increased by 10% if there are four to five packages, and the delay time is increased by 20% if there are six or more packages. It is assumed that the delivery person's speed will be slower when there are many packages. With this control method, the delay time is extended more than usual when there are many packages, so the delivery person can carry the packages to the entrance hall 120 without rushing, even when there are many packages.

[0116] The same applies to the size of the package. When a delivery company needs to leave a large package unattended, they check the "Large Package" item (not shown) on the first entry machine 210. In this case, the setting unit 216 extends the delay time beyond the normal limit. Similarly, when a delivery company has a heavy package, they check the "Heavy Package" item (not shown) on the first entry machine 210. In this case as well, the setting unit 216 extends the delay time beyond the normal limit.

[0117] A camera may be installed in the delivery box room 202. The setting unit 216 may capture images of the delivery person and determine the number and size of packages to be left unattended by image recognition. The setting unit 216 may extend the delay time and opening time based on the number or size of packages detected by image recognition.

[0118] Delivery drivers sometimes use hand trucks to transport packages. Typically, when using a hand truck, the speed at which the delivery driver moves decreases. When a hand truck is detected in the image of the delivery driver, the setting unit 216 may extend the delay time and the release time.

[0119] A settable range is defined for the delay time. Preferably, the delay time should be set within a range of 5 seconds or more, more preferably 10 seconds or more, and even more preferably 20 seconds or more.

[0120] The delay time may be notified via a countdown timer. For example, when the delay time is 40 seconds, the communication unit 222 of the security system 150 may notify the delivery terminal of the remaining time, and the delivery terminal may display a countdown timer. The delivery terminal may also notify the delivery person of the remaining delay time or release time via voice notification to the delivery person's earphone. The delivery terminal may also notify the delivery person that there is little time left by sounding a buzzer or activating a vibrator when there are 5 seconds remaining in the delay time.

[0121] In this modified example, it is explained that the measurement of the delay time begins when the delivery person touches the "open button" displayed on the first access panel 210. Alternatively, the communication unit 214 may send an unlocking signal and the opening / closing control unit 224 may start the timer when the delivery person enters a passcode into the first access panel 210 and user authentication is successful, when the delivery person operates the storage device 206, or when the delivery person touches the monitor on the first access panel 210.

[0122] Alternatively, after user authentication is completed at the first access machine 210, the communication unit 214 may send an unlocking signal to the security system 150 when the delivery person is no longer visible on the camera in the delivery box room 202. In this case, the timer starts after the delivery person leaves the delivery box room 202, so the delivery person does not need to rush out of the delivery box room 202.

[0123] In this modified example, the delay time and release time are described as being stored in the security system 150, but the delay time and release time may also be stored in the first access machine 210. The first access machine 210 may also notify the security system 150 of the delay time and release time when it transmits the unlock signal.

[0124] User authentication may be performed on the delivery management server 200 instead of the first access device 210 and the second access device 212. In this case, the delivery person enters a passcode into the first access device 210, the communication unit 214 transmits the passcode to the delivery management server 200, and the delivery management server 200 determines whether the passcode is a registered code. The delivery management server 200 transmits the determination result to the first access device 210. The same procedure is followed for the second access device 212.

[0125] User authentication is not limited to passcode entry. For example, a delivery person may display a QR code (registered trademark) on their delivery terminal and have the camera built into the first entry device 210 read it. The first authentication unit 218 may obtain the delivery person's passcode from the QR code and perform user authentication. In addition, user authentication may be performed based on biometric information such as fingerprints. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0126] 100 Entrance / Exit Machine, 102 Internet, 104 Apartment, 106 Entrance Machine, 108 Exit Machine, 110 Delivery Support System, 112 Main Entrance Machine, 114 Entrance Door, 116 Motion Sensor, 120 Entrance Hall, 122 First Input Unit, 124 Unlocking Unit, 126 Area Control Unit, 128 Communication Unit, 130 Second Input Unit, 132 Communication Unit, 134 Data Storage Unit, 136 Communication Unit, 138 Receiving Unit, 140 Transmitting Unit, 142 First Receiving Unit, 144 Second Receiving Unit, 146 Delivery Management Unit, 148 Data Storage Unit, 150 Security System, 160 Cabin, 162 Elevator Control Device, 170 Redelivery Rate Information, 180 Delivery Performance Information, 190 Number of Failed Deliveries Information, 200 Delivery Management Server, 202 Delivery Box Room, 204 Delivery box, 206 Storage device, 208 Box, 210 First entry machine, 212 Second entry machine, 214 Communication unit, 216 Setting unit, 218 First authentication unit, 220 Detection unit, 222 Communication unit, 224 Open / close control unit, 226 Second authentication unit

Claims

1. Installed in apartment buildings, A first input unit receives input from a delivery company, which is the number of packages to be delivered to the aforementioned apartment building, An access control device comprising a communication unit that notifies an external device of the number of people entering the building.

2. The system further includes a second input unit that receives input from a delivery company indicating either the number of packages that were delivered to the apartment building or the number of packages that could not be delivered when the delivery company leaves the apartment building, The access control device according to claim 1, wherein the communication unit notifies the external device of the number of people leaving the building.

3. The entrance door of the aforementioned apartment building was locked. The system further includes an unlocking unit that instructs the unlocking of the aforementioned front door, The first input unit further receives a passcode from the delivery company, The unlocking unit instructs the unlocking of the front door on the condition that the passcode has been authenticated. The access control device according to claim 1, wherein the first input unit activates the input interface for the number of people entering the building, on the condition that the passcode has been authenticated.

4. The aforementioned apartment complex has multiple areas, and the permitted areas that can be entered with a single visit are limited. It further comprises an area control unit for setting permitted areas, The access control device according to claim 3, wherein the area control unit expands the number of permitted areas when the delivery company's passcode is authenticated.

5. The first input unit further receives input of the delivery area from the delivery company, The access control device according to claim 4, wherein the area control unit sets the area to be the delivery destination of the package as an authorized area.

6. The first input unit further receives input of the residential ID of the delivery destination from the delivery company, The second input unit further accepts input regarding the delivery status of packages for each residential ID. The access control device according to claim 2, wherein the communication unit notifies the external device of whether or not the delivery of packages for each residential ID has been completed.

7. The first input unit further receives the package ID of the package to be delivered and the residential ID of the delivery destination of the package from the delivery company. The access control device according to claim 6, wherein the communication unit notifies the external device of the residence ID, the package ID, and whether or not the package corresponding to the package ID has been delivered.

8. It is connected to the access control system installed in the apartment building via a communication network. A first receiving unit receives the delivery company's company ID and the number of packages brought into the apartment building by the delivery company from the aforementioned access control machine. A second receiving unit receives from the aforementioned entry / exit machine the carrier ID of the delivery company and the number of packages that were delivered to the apartment complex by the delivery company or the number of packages that could not be delivered. A delivery management server comprising: a delivery management unit that calculates the redelivery rate for each delivery company during a unit period based on the number of items entering and leaving the building.

9. An access control system installed in an apartment building includes a first input unit that accepts input of a passcode to identify a delivery company and the number of packages to be delivered to the apartment building, An unlocking unit that authenticates the aforementioned passcode and instructs the unlocking of the entrance door of the apartment building, An entry record unit that records the unlocking time, which is the time when the aforementioned entrance door was unlocked, A stay time measurement unit that measures the elapsed time from the unlocking time, A permit time setting unit that sets the permitted time period during which delivery personnel can stay at the aforementioned apartment building, A second input unit receives input from the aforementioned delivery company regarding the number of packages that were delivered to the aforementioned apartment building or the number of packages that could not be delivered when the delivery company leaves the apartment building, A delivery management department calculates the redelivery rate for each delivery company during a unit period based on the number of items entering and leaving the building, It comprises a communication unit that notifies a warning to a designated device, The first input unit activates the input interface for the number of people entering the building, provided that the passcode has been authenticated. The unlocking unit instructs the unlocking of the front door on the condition that the passcode is authenticated, the number of people entering the building is entered, and the entered time is within the permitted time period. The aforementioned communication unit notifies the designated device of a warning indicating unauthorized entry when the passcode is not authenticated, also notifies the designated device of a warning when the number of items to be left out has not been entered even after a predetermined time limit has elapsed from the unlocking time, and also notifies a warning when the time when the number of items to be left out is entered falls outside the permitted time period.

10. A first input device installed in a shared delivery box in an apartment building or in a room containing the shared delivery box, comprising a detection unit that detects a predetermined operation by a user, A delivery support system comprising: an opening / closing control unit that unlocks the entrance door of the apartment building on the condition that a predetermined delay time has elapsed since the detection of the predetermined operation.

11. The delivery support system according to claim 10, wherein the opening and closing control unit further unlocks the front door on the condition that it is impossible to place a package into the delivery box.

12. It further includes a setting unit that accepts user input for setting the delay time, The delivery support system according to claim 10, wherein the opening / closing control unit changes the delay time according to the setting input from the user.

13. It further includes a setting unit that accepts user input for setting the release time, The delivery support system according to claim 10, wherein the opening / closing control unit unlocks the front door from the time after the delay period has elapsed until the time after the opening period has elapsed.

14. The first input device further comprises a first authentication unit for authenticating the user, The delivery support system according to claim 10, wherein the opening / closing control unit unlocks the front door on the condition that the user has been authenticated.

15. The system further includes a second authentication unit for authenticating the user, which is installed in a position closer to the entrance door than the first input device, The opening / closing control unit is When the user is authenticated in the first input device, and the predetermined operation is detected and the delay time has elapsed, the entrance door will be unlocked or opened even if authentication is not performed in the second input device. The delivery support system according to claim 10, wherein, when a user is authenticated in the first input device, the front door is unlocked when a user is authenticated in the second input device, even if the delay time has not elapsed since the detection of the predetermined operation.

16. The delivery support system according to claim 10, wherein the opening / closing control unit changes the delay time according to the number or size of items to be delivered by the user.

17. In a first input device installed in a shared delivery box in an apartment building or in a room containing the shared delivery box, the steps include detecting a predetermined operation by the user, A step of measuring the elapsed time since the detection of the predetermined operation, A delivery support method that performs the steps of unlocking the front door of the apartment building when the elapsed time reaches a predetermined delay time.

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