Locker system and information management method

Abstract

To improve user convenience by providing more accurate information on locker availability. [Solution] A locker system comprising multiple lockers having multiple storage compartments and a management server that manages information regarding the usage status of the multiple lockers includes a storage unit that stores history information regarding the usage history of the multiple lockers, a reception unit that receives inquiries from users regarding the past usage status of the lockers, and a display control unit that, when an inquiry is received by the reception unit, obtains usage status information related to the inquiry from the history information and outputs it to a predetermined display unit.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This specification discloses a locker system and an information management method.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, there has been proposed a system for managing a plurality of lockers each having a plurality of storage compartments (storage locations). For example, Patent Document 1 describes a case where two lockers are arranged in an area. When a user performs an operation for a usage procedure on one of the lockers, information on the usage status of the two lockers is acquired and displayed on a display unit.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] As described above, providing the usage status of lockers to users is recognized as an important issue for promoting smooth use of lockers, and further improvement is demanded.

[0005] The main object of the present disclosure is to more appropriately provide the usage status of lockers and improve the convenience for users.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The present disclosure has taken the following means to achieve the above main object.

[0007] The locker system of the present disclosure is a locker system including a plurality of lockers each having a plurality of storage compartments and a management server that manages information on the usage status of the plurality of lockers, A storage unit that stores historical information regarding the usage history of the aforementioned multiple lockers, A reception desk that receives inquiries from users regarding the past usage history of the aforementioned lockers, When the reception unit receives the inquiry, the display control unit obtains information on the usage status related to the inquiry from the history information and outputs it to a predetermined display unit. The gist of it is that it is equipped with the following features.

[0008] In the locker system disclosed herein, when a user inquires about the past usage status of a locker, the system retrieves the usage status information related to the inquiry from the history information and displays it on a designated display unit. This allows users to predict future usage based on past locker usage status and make an appropriate decision about whether or not to use a locker. Therefore, the system can provide more accurate information on locker usage status and improve user convenience. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1] A schematic diagram showing the general configuration of the locker system 10 and the sales management device 50. [Figure 2] A schematic diagram showing the general configuration of the lockers 20 and management server 30 provided by the locker system 10. [Figure 3] An explanatory diagram showing an example of the information contained in the memory unit 34. [Figure 4] An explanatory diagram showing an example of shipping label 60. [Figure 5] A flowchart illustrating an example of occupancy status management processing. [Figure 6] A flowchart illustrating an example of a process for managing occupancy rates. [Figure 7] A flowchart illustrating an example of status confirmation-related processing. [Figure 8] An explanatory diagram showing an example of screen transitions when selecting confirmation items. [Figure 9] An explanatory diagram showing an example of how past availability is displayed. [Figure 10] An explanatory diagram showing an example of how occupancy records are displayed. [Figure 11] Flowchart showing an example of status notification processing. [Figure 12] Explanatory diagram showing an example of time-series information 137a by size. [Figure 13] Explanatory diagram showing an example of how to display full occupancy results by size. [Figure 14] Flowchart showing status notification processing of a modification example. [Figure 15] Explanatory diagram showing an example of necessity of notification by size.

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0010] Embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing an outline of the configurations of the locker system 10 and the sales management device 50. FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram showing an outline of the configurations of the locker 20 and the management server 30 included in the locker system 10.

[0011] As shown in FIG. 1, the locker system 10 includes a plurality of lockers 20 (for example, lockers 20a, 20b, 20c, etc.) and a management server 30 configured as a management device for managing information regarding the lockers 20. The plurality of lockers 20 and the management server 30 are connected to a network 12 such as the Internet. Further, the management server 30 is connected to the sales management device 50 via the network 12 and provides information on the plurality of lockers 20 to the sales management device 50.

[0012] The sales management device 50 manages information related to the sale and delivery of product G sold by the sales company and is connected to the network 12. The sales management device 50 exchanges information with the purchaser's mobile terminal 3, etc., via the network 12 and provides the purchaser 2 with product information about product G. The sales management device 50 stores, for example, a product database (DB) containing information on product G that can be purchased on the sales company's website, a customer DB containing information on the customer (purchaser 2), sales information including the order number of the purchased product G and information on the locker 20 to be received. The purchased product G is packed in a cardboard box or the like and delivered. In this embodiment, each product G is packed in one of three packing sizes, for example, S (small), M (medium), or L (large), based on its size.

[0013] The locker 20 is used to hand over goods G, which have been purchased, for example, on a seller's website and delivered by a delivery person 4, to the buyer 2 (recipient). The locker 20 may also be used when handing over goods G, for example, on a flea market site, from the seller to the delivery person 4, or from the delivery person 4 to the buyer 2. The buyer 2, delivery person 4, and seller are also referred to as users. The buyer 2 and delivery person 4 possess mobile terminals 3 and 5, such as smartphones. The mobile terminals 3 and 5 are equipped with a touch panel display unit that displays various information and accepts various input operations, a reading unit that reads various codes such as QR codes (registered trademark), a communication unit that communicates with the management server 30 and the sales management device 50 via the network 12, and a GPS as a location acquisition unit that can obtain the current location.

[0014] In addition, the lockers 20 are installed in various locations such as offices, stores like convenience stores, factories, stations, schools, and condominiums. In this embodiment, an example of the one installed in a store S such as a convenience store will be described. In the example of FIG. 1, a locker 20a is installed in store Sa, a locker 20b is installed in store Sb, and a locker 20c is installed in store Sc. Each locker 20 includes a plurality of receiving boxes (storage boxes) 21 capable of storing the merchandise G (articles), and a control device (control box) 24 that performs processes related to the loading and unloading of the merchandise G, such as loading and receiving the merchandise G. The locker 20 has a plurality (for example, a total of 11 in FIG. 2) of receiving boxes 21 arranged side by side, and the control device 24 is arranged in a part of the arrangement of the receiving boxes 21.

[0015] Each receiving box 21 includes a door 22 on the front of the box capable of storing the merchandise G, and a locking device 23 that locks and unlocks the door 22. In addition, an opening / closing sensor 22a for detecting the opening and closing of the door 22 is attached to each receiving box 21. Note that a sensor (article sensor) for detecting the presence or absence of the merchandise G in the receiving box 21 may be attached to each receiving box 21. Also, as the receiving boxes 21, there are receiving boxes 21 of size S (for example, numbers 1 to 6 in FIG. 2) corresponding to the packing size of size S, receiving boxes 21 of size M (for example, numbers 7 to 9 in FIG. 2) corresponding to the packing size of size M, and receiving boxes 21 of size L (for example, numbers 10 and 11 in FIG. 2) corresponding to the packing size of size L. In FIG. 1, the total number, the number by size, and the arrangement of the receiving boxes 21 in the lockers 20a, 20b, and 20c are assumed to be the same, but at least one of them may be different.

[0016] The control device 24 is housed in a box the same size as, for example, an M-sized delivery storage unit 21, and comprises a control unit 25, a storage unit 26, and a communication unit 27. The front panel of the box is equipped with a display operation unit 28 and a reading unit 29. The display operation unit 28 is configured as a touch panel and displays various information such as operation instructions for loading and unloading goods G and the usage status of the locker 20, and accepts various input operations from users. The reading unit 29 is configured as a code reader that reads various codes displayed on the mobile terminal 3 of the purchaser 2 and the mobile terminal 5 of the delivery person 4, as well as various codes on the delivery label 60 (see Figure 4) of the goods G.

[0017] The control unit 25 is equipped with a CPU, ROM, RAM, etc., and receives input operation signals to the display operation unit 28, information read by the reading unit 29, detection signals from the opening / closing sensors 22a of each delivery box 21, and outputs locking signals and unlocking signals to the locking devices 23 of each delivery box 21, and display signals to the display operation unit 28. The storage unit 26 is composed of an HDD or SSD, etc., and stores various application programs, authentication information used for user authentication, size information and usage status information 26a for each delivery box 21 of the locker 20. The usage status information 26a includes information on whether the status of each delivery box 21 is in a delivered state where product G has been delivered or in an empty state where product G has not been delivered, and information on whether the usage status (occupancy status) of the locker 20 is in a fully occupied state where all delivery boxes 21 are in a delivered state or in an empty state where some of the delivery boxes 21 are empty. The communication unit 27 communicates with the management server 30 via the network 12 and exchanges information necessary for the loading and unloading of goods G.

[0018] The management server 30 comprises a control unit 32, a storage unit 34, and a communication unit 38. The control unit 32 includes a CPU, ROM, and RAM. The management server 30 performs various processes related to the management of the lockers 20 and the exchange of information with the sales management device 50, and also manages the confirmation site, which is a website for users to check the usage status of the lockers 20. The storage unit 34 is composed of an HDD or SSD and stores various information related to each locker 20, such as locker information 35, usage status information 36, and history information 37. The communication unit 38 exchanges various information with each locker 20, the sales management device 50, and mobile terminals 3, 5 via the network 12.

[0019] Figure 3 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of information in the memory unit 34, illustrating information about lockers 20a in store Sa. Locker information 35 includes location information of lockers 20 (store S) and the number of storage units 21 of each size. Usage status information 36 includes information on the current usage status of lockers 20, such as whether each storage unit 21 is in a delivered state or empty state, and whether locker 20 is full or has vacancies. Note that usage status information 36 is the same information as the usage status information 26a of each locker 20 and is updated as appropriate through communication with locker 20. History information 37 includes time-series information 37a and full-occupancy performance information 37b. Time-series information 37a is the same information as usage status information 36, stored in chronological order, for example, at predetermined intervals or each time a notification is received from locker 20. Full-occupancy performance information 37b is information on the full-occupancy time periods when locker 20 was full for each date (usage day), and is registered periodically as described later.

[0020] In this embodiment, a shipping label (address label) 60 is affixed to the packaging of product G. The shipping label 60 is printed by a printing device (not shown) through a printing process performed by the sales management device 50 and then affixed to the packaging. Figure 4 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a shipping label 60. The shipping label 60 is provided with a code display area 61 for displaying a QR code or the like, and an information display area 65 for displaying various information related to shipping.

[0021] The code display field 61 displays the verification site code 62 and the shipping label information code 63. The verification site code 62 includes information for accessing the verification site mentioned above, as well as information about the delivery destination store S (the locker 20 where the item is scheduled to be delivered). The shipping label information code 63 includes various information displayed in the information display field 65 and information necessary for authentication during delivery. The information display field 65 displays the basic information 66, delivery address information 67, recipient information 68, and requester information 69. The basic information 66 displays the product name, order number, and business name of product G. The delivery address information 67 displays the address and name of the delivery destination store S. The recipient information 68 displays the address and name of the recipient (purchaser 2) of product G. The requester information 69 displays the address and name of the delivery requester, and in some cases the name of the selling business is displayed instead of the name. In addition, the code display field 61 and the information display field 65 also display the shipping label number for tracking the delivery status.

[0022] In the locker system 10 configured in this way, the delivery of goods G purchased (ordered) by purchaser 2 is carried out as follows. First, purchaser 2 operates a mobile terminal 3 or the like to select the desired goods G from the goods information provided by the sales management device 50, and also selects the store S (locker 20) where they wish to pick up the goods, and places an order for goods G. Upon receiving the order, the sales management device 50 stores the purchaser 2's information and the information of the store S where they wish to pick up the goods, along with the order number of goods G (purchased goods), as sales information. The sales management device 50 also sends the authentication information necessary for the delivery of goods G to purchaser 2's mobile terminal 3, and also to the management server 30, which then sends it to the locker 20. The sales management device 50 then prints a delivery label 60 by printing, and instructs the delivery person 4 to deliver goods G with the delivery label 60 attached to the packaging. The delivery person 4 delivers goods G to the destination store S, operates the display operation unit 28 of the locker 20, and has the delivery information code 63 read by the reader unit 29 to perform authentication. Once authentication is complete, locker 20 controls the locking device 23 of the delivery storage 21 to unlock the door 22 and allow delivery person 4 to deliver product G. When product G has been delivered and the door 22 is closed, locker 20 controls the locking device 23 to lock, updates the usage status information 26a, and sends a delivery notification to the management server 30 along with the information of the delivery storage 21.

[0023] Furthermore, the management server 30 sends a notification to the sales management device 50 that the delivery of product G has been completed, which the device then sends to the purchaser 2's mobile terminal 3. Purchaser 2 goes to store S, operates the display operation unit 28 of the locker 20, and has the authentication information displayed on the mobile terminal 3 read by the reader unit 29 to perform authentication. Once authentication is complete, the locker 20 controls the unlocking device 23 of the delivery storage 21, opens the door 22, and allows purchaser 2 to receive product G. When the receipt of product G is completed and the door 22 is closed, the locker 20 controls the locking device 23, updates the usage status information 26a, and sends a notification of receipt along with the information of the delivery storage 21 to the management server 30. The management server 30 sends a notification to the sales management device 50 that the handover of product G has been completed.

[0024] In this embodiment, as described above, there are three sizes for the packaging size of product G and the size of the delivery warehouse 21: S, M, and L. If there is space in a delivery warehouse 21 of the size corresponding to the packaging size, product G will be delivered to that delivery warehouse 21. Also, even if there is no space in a delivery warehouse 21 of the size corresponding to the packaging size, if there is space in a larger delivery warehouse 21, product G will be delivered to that delivery warehouse 21.

[0025] Next, we will explain the process by which the locker system 10 allows users to check the usage status of the lockers 20. First, we will explain the process by which the management server 30 manages the usage status of the lockers 20. Figure 5 is a flowchart of an example of the occupancy status management process. In the occupancy status management process, the control unit 32 of the management server 30 first determines whether or not it has received a delivery notification from the locker 20 (S100), and if it determines that it has not received one, it proceeds to S150. If the control unit 32 determines that it has received a delivery notification, it changes the delivery storage 21 in the usage status information 36 for the locker 20 to the delivery status (S110). Next, the control unit 32 checks the status of the other delivery storage 21 in the locker 20 using the usage status information 36 (S120), and determines whether or not all of the delivery storage 21 are in the delivery status (S130). If the control unit 32 determines that the locker 20 is full, it changes the availability status of the locker 20 in the usage status information 36 to full (S140) and proceeds to S150. If the control unit 32 determines that the locker is not full, it skips S140 and proceeds to S150.

[0026] Next, the control unit 32 determines whether or not it has received a notification of receipt from the locker 20 (S150). If it determines that it has not received a notification, it terminates this process. If the control unit 32 determines that it has received a notification of receipt, it changes the status of the delivery box 21 in the usage information 36 for the locker 20 to an empty state (S160). Then, the control unit 32 determines whether or not the full status has been released as a result of the process in S160 (S170). In S170, it is determined whether or not the locker 20 was in a full status when it received the notification of receipt. If the control unit 32 determines that the full status has been released, it changes the status of the locker 20 to an empty (full status released) status (S180) and terminates this process. If the control unit 32 determines that the full status has not been released, i.e., the process in S160 was performed in an empty state, it skips S180 and terminates this process. Through these processes, the usage information 36 is updated for each locker 20. Although the explanation of the update process for the time-series information 37a is omitted, for example, each time a delivery or receipt notification is received from the locker 20 and the usage status information 36 of the locker 20 is updated, the status at the time of the update can be sequentially stored in the time-series information 37a of the locker 20.

[0027] Next, the processing related to occupancy records will be explained. Figure 6 is a flowchart of an example of the occupancy record management process. In the occupancy record management process, the control unit 32 of the management server 30 determines whether or not it is time to check the occupancy record (S200), and if it determines that it is not time to check, it terminates this process. The check timing is set, for example, at a predetermined time in the middle of the night or when the date changes. If the control unit 32 determines that it is time to check, it searches for time periods of occupancy in the previous day's occupancy status from the time-series information 37a (S210). The control unit 32 determines whether or not there are time periods of occupancy (S220), and if it determines that there are no time periods of occupancy, it terminates this process. On the other hand, if the control unit 32 determines that there are time periods of occupancy, it stores the time periods of occupancy, i.e., the start time and end time of the occupancy in the occupancy record information 37b (S230), and terminates this process. In the example of the time-series information 37a in Figure 3, the status changes from available to full in the second row from the top. Therefore, the control unit 32 determines that there is a period of time when the lockers are full, and stores the time in the second row as the start time of the full-occupancy period in the full-occupancy record. Through this process, the period of time when the lockers are full is periodically stored in the full-occupancy record information 37b, categorized by usage date and locker 20.

[0028] Next, the management server 30 will explain the process for allowing users of the locker 20, particularly delivery drivers 4, to understand the usage status of the locker 20. The following process is carried out by the control unit 32 of the management server 30 and the control unit of the delivery driver 4's mobile terminal 5 displaying the necessary information on the display of the mobile terminal 5, but for convenience, it will be explained as a process on the management server 30 side.

[0029] Figure 7 is a flowchart illustrating an example of status confirmation-related processing. In status confirmation-related processing, the control unit 32 of the management server 30 first determines whether the confirmation site code 62 of the delivery label 60 has been read by the reading unit of the mobile terminal 5 (S300), or whether the confirmation site has been accessed by entering a URL or the like (S310). If the control unit 32 determines that the confirmation site code 62 has been read or that the confirmation site has been accessed, it displays the menu screen of the confirmation site on the display unit of the mobile terminal 5 (S320). Although not shown in the figure, the menu screen displays a button to check the usage status of the locker 20 (inquiry button) and a button to register the locker 20 to be notified, which will be described later. The control unit 32 determines whether confirmation has been selected by operating the confirmation button (S330), or whether registration has been selected by operating the registration button (S340). If the control unit 32 determines in S330 that confirmation has been selected, it displays the confirmation item selection screen on the display unit of the mobile terminal 5 (S350).

[0030] Figure 8 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of screen transitions when selecting confirmation items, with Figure 8(a) being an example of the confirmation item selection screen. On the confirmation item selection screen, buttons for selecting the current availability status of locker 20, past availability status, and past full occupancy history are displayed. Therefore, when the control unit 32 displays the confirmation item selection screen, it determines whether the current availability status has been selected (S360), whether the past availability status has been selected (S370), or whether the full occupancy history has been selected (S380) based on the operation of each selection button. Note that S370 and S380 are queries for past usage status.

[0031] When the control unit 32 determines in S360 that the current availability has been selected, it transitions to the selection screen shown in Figure 8(b) to accept the user's selection of a store S (locker 20) (S390). On this selection screen, the selection field 5a for store S is displayed. The selection field 5a is a list box that allows the user to select a store S in a pull-down format. Multiple stores S are displayed in the pulled-down list. In this embodiment, if the confirmation site code 62 was read in S300, the store S (locker 20 to be delivered) included in that confirmation site code 62 is displayed at the top. For example, if store Sb is included as a delivery destination in the confirmation site code 62, as shown in Figure 8(b), store Sb is displayed as the default in the selection field 5a, and store Sb is also displayed at the top of the list. Therefore, when checking the current availability, the user is saved the trouble of searching for a store S. Note that the selection field 5a may also be a combo box that allows the user to directly input the name of the store S.

[0032] When the control unit 32 receives the designation of store S in S390, it obtains the current (latest) availability status of lockers 20 at the designated store S from the usage status information 36 and displays it on the display unit of the mobile terminal 5 (S400), and then terminates this process. The illustration of the availability status displayed in S400 is omitted, but for example, the name of store S and the number of available delivery storage units 21 by size (S, M, L) are displayed.

[0033] Furthermore, when the control unit 32 determines in S370 that past availability has been selected, it transitions to the specification screen shown in Figure 8(c) to accept the user's specification of a store S (locker 20) and a past date and time (S410). This specification screen displays a store S specification field 5a and a past date and time specification field 5b. Similar to Figure 8(b), when the specification field 5a is pulled down, multiple stores S are displayed in a row. Also, as explained in Figure 8(b), if the confirmation site code 62 was read in S300, the delivery destination store Sb included in that confirmation site code 62 is displayed by default and is also displayed at the top of the list. This saves the user the trouble of selecting a store S when checking past availability. In addition, in the date and time specification field 5b, for example, the year, month, day and hour and minute can be specified. Note that a predetermined date and time, such as the same time on the previous day, may be displayed by default in the date and time specification field 5b.

[0034] When the control unit 32 receives the designation of a store S and a past date and time in S410, it obtains the availability status of the lockers 20 at the designated store S at the designated date and time from the time-series information 37a and displays it on the display unit of the mobile terminal 5 (S420), and then terminates this process. If the time-series information 37a does not contain information for the same date and time as the designated date and time, the availability status may be displayed based on the information for the closest date and time that is before the designated date and time. Alternatively, the availability status may be displayed based on the information for the closest date and time, regardless of whether it is before or after the designated date and time. Figure 9 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of how past availability status is displayed. As shown in the figure, the store name of the store S, the past date and time, and the number of available delivery boxes 21 for each size of delivery box 21 are displayed.

[0035] Furthermore, when the control unit 32 determines in S380 that a full occupancy record has been selected, it transitions to the specification screen illustrated in Figure 8(d) to accept the user's specification of a store S (locker 20) and a past date (S430). This specification screen displays a store S specification field 5a and a past date specification field 5c. Similar to Figures 8(b) and (c), when the specification field 5a is pulled down, multiple stores S are displayed in a row. Also, as explained in Figure 8(b), if the confirmation site code 62 was read in S300, the delivery destination store Sb included in that confirmation site code 62 is displayed by default and is also displayed at the top of the list. Therefore, when checking the full occupancy record, the user is saved the trouble of selecting a store S. In addition, the date specification field 5c can specify, for example, the year, month, and day. Note that a predetermined date such as the previous day may be displayed by default in the date specification field 5c.

[0036] When the control unit 32 receives the designation of a store S and a past date in S430, it retrieves the time period during which the lockers 20 were fully occupied on the designated date at the designated store S from the occupancy record information 37b and displays it on the display unit of the mobile terminal 5 (S440), and then terminates this process. Figure 10 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of how the occupancy record is displayed. As shown in the figure, the name of the store S, the date of the record (past date), and the time period during which the delivery warehouse 21 was fully occupied are displayed. In this embodiment, since the time periods of full occupancy are periodically extracted and stored in the occupancy record information 37b, when the store S and date are specified, the occupancy record can be quickly read and displayed.

[0037] Furthermore, when the control unit 32 determines that registration has been selected in S340, it displays the store setting registration screen on the display unit of the mobile terminal 5, accepts the setting registration of the notification target store (S450), and terminates this process. Here, the notification target store is a store that is pre-configured to notify the user when there is a change in the usage status (occupancy status) of the lockers 20 of the store S, as will be described later. The store setting registration screen, although not shown in the illustration, displays a specification field similar to the specification field 5a in Figures 8(b) to (d), as well as a registration button. When the registration button is operated with the store S specified, the store S is set as a notification target store. The registered notification target stores are stored in the storage unit 34 in association with the user's notification destination.

[0038] Next, we will explain the process of notifying users, such as delivery person 4, of changes in the usage status (occupancy status) of lockers 20 at the target store. Figure 11 is a flowchart of an example of the status notification process. In the status notification process, the control unit 32 first determines whether the occupancy status of any of the lockers 20 has changed (S500), and if it determines that there has been no change, it terminates the process. Note that the change in occupancy status includes the change from full status to available status in S170 of the occupancy status management process and the change from available status to full status in S130 of the same process. If the control unit 32 determines in S500 that the occupancy status has changed, it checks whether there are any users (registered users) who have set the store S (locker 20) where the status has changed as a target for notification (S510), and determines whether there are any users (S520).

[0039] If the control unit 32 determines in S510 and S520 that there are no users who have registered the store as a notification target, it terminates this process. On the other hand, if the control unit 32 determines that there are users who have registered the store as a notification target, it obtains location information detected by the GPS of the user's mobile terminal, calculates the distance to the store's location (S530), and determines whether it is within a predetermined distance (S540). If the control unit 32 determines that it is not within the predetermined distance but is outside the predetermined distance, it terminates this process. On the other hand, if the control unit 32 determines that it is within the predetermined distance, it determines whether the change in occupancy status is a change to a fully occupied status (S550), and if it determines that it is a change to a fully occupied status, it notifies the mobile terminals within the predetermined distance that the store is now fully occupied (S560), and terminates this process. On the other hand, if the control unit 32 determines that it is not fully occupied but has become available, it notifies the mobile terminals within the predetermined distance that the store is now available (S570), and terminates this process. In the example in Figure 1, for instance, delivery person 4a has set stores Sa and Sc as notification targets, with store Sa being within a predetermined distance and store Sc being outside that distance. In this case, delivery person 4a will be notified when the occupancy status of lockers 20 at store Sa changes, but will not be notified when the occupancy status of lockers 20 at store Sc changes.

[0040] Here, the correspondence between the components of this embodiment and the components of the present disclosure will be clarified. The locker 20 of this embodiment corresponds to the locker of the present disclosure, and the management server 30 corresponds to the management server. Also, the storage unit 34 corresponds to the storage unit, the control unit 32 that executes status confirmation-related processing S350, S370, S380, S410, and S430 corresponds to the reception unit, and the control unit 32 that executes status confirmation-related processing S420 and S440 corresponds to the display control unit. The control unit 32 that executes the occupancy performance management processing corresponds to the creation unit. The control unit 32 that executes status confirmation-related processing S450 corresponds to the reception unit, the control unit 32 that executes occupancy status management processing S130 and S170 corresponds to the determination unit, and the control unit 32 that executes status notification processing corresponds to the notification control unit. In this embodiment, an example of the information management method of the present disclosure is also clarified by describing the operation of the locker system 10.

[0041] The locker system 10 of this embodiment, as described above, receives an inquiry from a user regarding the past usage status of the locker 20. It then retrieves the usage status information related to the inquiry from the history information 37 and displays it on the display unit (a predetermined display unit) of the mobile terminal 5. This allows the user to predict future usage status based on the past usage status of the locker 20 and make an appropriate decision on whether or not to use the locker 20. Therefore, the system can provide more appropriate information on the usage status of the locker 20 and improve user convenience.

[0042] Furthermore, the locker system 10 retrieves the availability status of the specified locker 20 for past specified dates and times from the history information 37 (time-series information 37a) of the specified locker 20 and displays it on the display unit of the mobile terminal 5. As a result, users can easily understand the availability status of the desired locker 20 at a specified date and time and predict future availability. For example, even if there are currently empty delivery warehouses 21, if it is predicted that there will be almost no empty delivery warehouses 21 based on past availability, it becomes possible to consider early delivery to the locker 20 or, conversely, delaying delivery to the locker 20, i.e., revising the delivery schedule. As a result, it is possible to prevent situations where goods G are delivered to the locker 20 but cannot be delivered and have to be taken back.

[0043] Furthermore, the locker system 10 accepts inquiries about the availability (usage status) of lockers 20, along with the user's selection of a locker and a date and time. This allows users to easily specify a date and time they wish to refer to as past availability information.

[0044] Furthermore, the locker system 10 has multiple sizes (S, M, L) of storage boxes 21, each corresponding to a different packaging size, and displays the availability of each storage box size. This allows users to easily understand the past availability of storage boxes 21 corresponding to the packaging size of product G.

[0045] Furthermore, the locker system 10 retrieves the time periods when the locker was fully occupied on a specified date from the history information 37 (full occupancy history information 37b) of the designated locker 20 and displays them on the display unit of the mobile terminal 5. This allows users to easily understand the time periods when the desired locker 20 was fully occupied on a specified date and predict future full occupancy status. For example, based on the full occupancy history, it becomes possible to revise the delivery schedule to the locker 20 depending on whether it is more likely to be fully occupied or available (full occupancy lifted). This helps to prevent situations where goods G are delivered to the locker 20 but cannot be delivered and have to be taken back.

[0046] Furthermore, the locker system 10 accepts inquiries about the occupancy status of lockers 20, along with the user's selection of the locker and the date, so users can easily specify a date they would like to refer to as past occupancy status.

[0047] Furthermore, the locker system 10 periodically creates occupancy record information 37b for each locker 20 from time-series information 37a and stores it in the memory unit 34. Then, it obtains the time period when the locker was full from the occupancy record information 37b of the specified locker 20, so that it can quickly display and output the time period when the locker was full in response to inquiries from users.

[0048] Furthermore, the locker system 10 notifies users who have registered a locker 20 as a notification target (registered user) if it is determined that a locker 20 is available or full. As a result, users can understand the changes in the status of the lockers 20 without having to check the usage status of the lockers 20 one by one, and can make an appropriate decision on whether or not to go and use the locker 20. This helps to prevent situations where product G has been delivered but cannot be delivered and has to be taken back.

[0049] Furthermore, the locker system 10 acquires the location of the user (registered user) and sends a notification if the distance to the locker 20 to be notified is within a predetermined distance, and does not send a notification if it is outside the predetermined distance. Therefore, when the need for notification is low due to the distance, unnecessary notifications are not sent, thus improving convenience.

[0050] Furthermore, in the locker system 10, a confirmation site code 62, which includes the address information of a confirmation site (website), is displayed on the shipping label 60 (a designated label) attached to the packaging of product G, as a code readable by the mobile terminal 5. Therefore, users can easily access the confirmation site by reading the confirmation site code 62 with their mobile terminal 5.

[0051] Furthermore, the locker system 10 includes information about the locker 20 (store S) to be delivered in the confirmation site code 62, and allows for acceptance with the specification of locker 20 via the specification field 5a, which displays the locker 20 read from the confirmation site code 62 as the default. This eliminates the need for users to make a selection when specifying locker 20.

[0052] It goes without saying that this disclosure is not limited in any way to the embodiments described above, and can be implemented in various forms as long as they fall within the technical scope of this disclosure.

[0053] In the embodiment described above, the time periods of full occupancy in the status confirmation-related processing were displayed without distinguishing between the sizes of each delivery warehouse 21, but this is not limited to this, and they may be displayed by size. In that case, for example, as shown in the time-series information 137a in Figure 12, the occupancy status can be managed and stored by size, and in the full occupancy performance management processing in Figure 6, the control unit 32 can search for the time periods of full occupancy by size and store them in the full occupancy performance information 37b by size (not shown). Then, in S440 of the status confirmation-related processing, as shown in Figure 13, the time periods of full occupancy can be displayed by the size of the delivery warehouse 21. Thus, in this modified example, the management server 30 stores history information 37 (time-series information 137a, full occupancy performance information 37b) by the size of the delivery warehouse 21. Then, it acquires information on the time periods of full occupancy by the size of the delivery warehouse 21 and outputs it to the display unit of the mobile terminal 5. For this reason, users can easily grasp the full occupancy performance of the delivery warehouse 21 of the size corresponding to the packaging size (size according to the packaging size).

[0054] In the embodiment described above, the status notification process notified changes in the occupancy status of each delivery warehouse 21 without distinguishing between sizes, but it is not limited to this, and notifications may be made separately for each size. In that case, when registering the stores S to be notified, the user can specify the size to be notified and register it. Alternatively, information on the packaging size (size of product G) may be included in the confirmation site code 62, and the size may be read from the confirmation site code 62. Furthermore, the status notification process may be executed as shown in the modified example in Figure 14. In the modified example, the same steps as in the embodiment are given the same step numbers and their explanations are omitted.

[0055] In the modified status notification process, if the control unit 32 determines in S540 that the user's location (location of the mobile terminal 5) is within a predetermined distance of the store S (locker 20) to be notified, it obtains the packaging size of the product G and the size of the delivery warehouse 21 whose occupancy status has changed (S542). The control unit 32 also determines whether the occupancy status has changed in a delivery warehouse 21 that is larger than or equal to the packaging size (a delivery warehouse 21 larger than or equal to the packaging size) (S544). If the control unit 32 determines that the occupancy status has changed in a delivery warehouse 21 that is larger than or equal to the packaging size, it determines that notification is necessary (S546) and proceeds to S550. On the other hand, if the control unit 32 determines that the occupancy status has changed in a delivery warehouse 21 that is smaller than the packaging size, it terminates this process. In other words, the control unit 32 does not send a notification if the occupancy status has changed in a delivery warehouse 21 that is smaller than the packaging size.

[0056] Here, Figure 15 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of whether notification is required depending on the size. When the package size is S, delivery is possible to any of the S, M, or L size delivery warehouses 21, so changes in the availability status of any size delivery warehouse 21 will affect delivery. For this reason, when the package size is S, it is determined that notification is required regardless of whether the size of the delivery warehouse 21 is S, M, or L. Similarly, when the package size is M, delivery is possible to the M and L size delivery warehouses 21, but not to the S size delivery warehouse 21. Therefore, it is determined that notification is required when the size of the delivery warehouse 21 is M or L, and that notification is not required when the size of the delivery warehouse 21 is S. Furthermore, if the package size is L, it can be delivered to the L-sized delivery warehouse 21, but not to the S or M-sized delivery warehouses 21. Therefore, it is determined that notification is required if the size of the delivery warehouse 21 is L, and that notification is not required if the size of the delivery warehouse 21 is S or M.

[0057] If the control unit 32 determines in S546 that notification is necessary based on these determinations, it will notify the user that the storage facility is full and the size of the storage facility 21 if the status changes to full capacity (S560a), and will notify the user that the storage facility is now available and the size of the storage facility 21 if the status changes to available (S560b).

[0058] In this modified version, the size of the delivery warehouse 21 and the packaging size of product G are obtained, and a notification is sent if a change in the occupancy status is detected in a delivery warehouse 21 that is larger than or equal to the packaging size, but no notification is sent if the same detection occurs in a delivery warehouse 21 that is smaller than the packaging size. Therefore, users can be appropriately informed of changes in the status of delivery warehouses 21 that are larger than or equal to the size (packaging size) of product G to be delivered. In other words, since users are not notified even if the occupancy status changes in a delivery warehouse 21 whose size does not match, it is possible to prevent users from receiving unnecessary notifications. Therefore, only necessary notifications are sent to users, further improving convenience. In addition, it is possible to more reliably prevent situations where product G has been delivered to the locker 20 but cannot be delivered and has to be taken back. Note that, as shown in Figure 15, the system is not limited to determining whether notification is necessary based on size, but may also be set to notify only when the packaging size and the size of the delivery warehouse 21 match (correspond).

[0059] In this embodiment, the confirmation site code 62 includes information about the locker 20 (store S) scheduled for delivery, but it is not limited to this, and it does not have to include such information. Also, in the store S (locker 20) specification field 5a, the store S read from the confirmation site code 62 is displayed at the top of the list as the default, but it is not limited to this, and it does not have to be displayed in this way. Also, the confirmation site code 62 includes information about the confirmation site, but it is not limited to this, and it does not have to include such information. Furthermore, if the confirmation site code 62 is read in S300 of the status confirmation related processing, the process may proceed to any of S350, S390, S410, S430, or S450. Also, in this embodiment, it is possible to check the usage status and register notification targets from the menu screen of the confirmation site, but it is not limited to this, it is also possible to check the usage status on the confirmation site and register notification targets on a separate registration site from the confirmation site.

[0060] In this embodiment, the user's location is obtained from the mobile terminal 5, but this is not limited to that. For example, the user's location may be obtained from the location of the delivery vehicle driven by the delivery person 4. Also, while notifications are sent to users within a predetermined distance and not to users outside that distance, this is not limited to that. That is, if the occupancy status of the registered locker 20 changes, a notification may be sent regardless of the user's location. Furthermore, the locker system 10 is not limited to performing the status notification processing shown in Figure 11, and does not have to perform the status notification processing. In that case, the status confirmation related processing S340 and S450 can be omitted.

[0061] In this embodiment, occupancy record information 37b is created periodically, but it is not limited to this, and it is not necessary to create occupancy record information 37b. In that case, when an inquiry about occupancy record is made, the time period during which the occupancy status was full on the relevant date can be extracted and displayed. Also, in the inquiry about occupancy record, the date can be specified, but it is not limited to this, and instead, a predetermined past date (for example, the previous day, the same day of the week a week ago, the same day of the previous month or year) can be used. Furthermore, the locker system 10 is not limited to displaying occupancy record, and it is not necessary to display occupancy record. In that case, the status confirmation related processing S380, S430, and S440 can be omitted.

[0062] In this embodiment, the inquiry for past usage status accepts the specification of a date and time, but is not limited to this. Instead of accepting a date and time specification, it may accept a predetermined past date and time (for example, the same time the previous day, the same time on the same day of the week a week ago, the same time on the same day of the previous month or year), etc. Furthermore, the locker system 10 is not limited to displaying past availability status, and does not have to display past availability status. In that case, the status confirmation related processing S370, S410, and S420 can be omitted.

[0063] In this embodiment, the locker system 10 displays the current availability status, but it is not limited to this, and it does not have to display the current availability status. That is, it is sufficient to accept inquiries about past usage status and display the usage status information related to those inquiries on a predetermined display unit. If the current availability status is not displayed, the status confirmation related processing steps S360, S390, and S400 may be omitted.

[0064] In this embodiment, the current availability and past usage (availability and occupancy record) are displayed separately, but the invention is not limited to this, and the current availability and past usage record of the specified locker 20 may be displayed simultaneously. Alternatively, the invention may accept the specification of a past date and time, and simultaneously display the past availability at that specified date and time, and the occupancy record for that specific date (specified day), and further display the current availability as well.

[0065] In this embodiment, the user is primarily described as the delivery person 4, but it is not limited to this; it could also be the buyer 2, or a seller on a flea market site, etc. Furthermore, the designated display unit is not limited to the display unit of a mobile terminal, but could also be the display unit of the car navigation system in the delivery vehicle or the display unit of a stationary computer, etc. Also, the recipient of notifications of changes in status is not limited to a mobile terminal, but could also be the car navigation system in the delivery vehicle or a stationary computer, etc.

[0066] This disclosure may be configured as follows: For example, the second locker system of this disclosure is A locker system comprising multiple lockers, each having multiple storage compartments, and a management server that manages information regarding the usage status of the multiple lockers, A reception unit that accepts registrations from users for the lockers to be notified from among the aforementioned multiple lockers, Each time an item is taken in or out of the aforementioned storage area, a determination unit determines whether any of the multiple storage areas of the locker have become empty or whether all of them have become full and are in a delivered state. If the determination unit determines that there is a locker that is either available or full, the notification control unit notifies the registered user who has set that locker as a target locker to be notified. The gist of it is that it is equipped with the following features.

[0067] In the second locker system of this disclosure, if a locker is determined to be either available or full, the system notifies registered users who have designated that locker as a target locker. This allows users to understand changes in the locker's availability without having to check it individually, enabling them to make an informed decision about whether or not to use a locker. Therefore, the system can provide more accurate information on locker availability and improve user convenience.

[0068] The first information management method in this disclosure is: An information management method for managing information regarding the usage status of multiple lockers having multiple delivery storage facilities, (a) The step of storing historical information relating to the usage history of the plurality of lockers in a storage unit, (b) A step of receiving inquiries from users regarding the past usage status of the locker, (c) When the inquiry is received in step (b) above, the user obtains information on the usage status related to the inquiry from the history information and outputs it to a predetermined display unit, The gist of this is that it includes the following:

[0069] In this first information management method, similar to the locker system of the present disclosure described above, users can predict future usage based on past locker usage and make an appropriate decision on whether or not to use a locker. Therefore, it is possible to provide locker usage information more appropriately and improve user convenience. In this first information management method, various forms of the locker system of the present disclosure may be adopted, or steps that realize the functions of the locker system of the present disclosure may be added.

[0070] The second information management method in this disclosure is: An information management method for managing information regarding the usage status of multiple lockers having multiple delivery storage facilities, (a) A step of receiving registration from the user for the locker to be notified among the multiple lockers, (b) Each time goods are taken in or out of the delivery storage, the step of determining whether any of the multiple delivery storage units of the locker have become empty or whether all of them have become full and are in a delivered state, (c) If, in step (b) above, it is determined that there are lockers that are available or that are full, the registered user who has set the locker as a locker to be notified is notified accordingly. The gist of this is that it includes the following:

[0071] In this second information management method, similar to the second locker system of this disclosure, users can grasp changes in the locker usage status without having to check it every time, and thus make an appropriate decision on whether or not to use the locker. Therefore, it is possible to provide locker usage status more appropriately and improve user convenience. In this second information management method, various forms of the second locker system of this disclosure may be adopted, or steps that realize the functions of the locker system of this disclosure may be added.

[0072] This specification also discloses technical concepts in which the "locker system described in claim 1" of claim 4 in the original application has been changed to the "locker system described in any one of claims 1 to 3", technical concepts in which the "locker system described in claim 1" of claim 7 in the original application has been changed to the "locker system described in any one of claims 1 to 6", and technical concepts in which the "locker system described in claim 1 or 8" of claim 11 in the original application has been changed to the "locker system described in any one of claims 1 to 10". [Industrial applicability]

[0073] This disclosure can be used to manage the usage status of lockers with multiple delivery storage facilities. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0074] 2 Purchaser, 3,5 Mobile terminal, 5a Store designation field, 5b Date and time designation field, 5c Date designation field, 4,4a Delivery person, 10 Locker system, 12 Network, 20,20a,20b,20c Locker, 21 Delivery warehouse (storage box), 22 Door, 22a Open / close sensor, 23 Locking device, 24 Control device, 25 Control unit, 26 Memory unit, 26a Usage status information, 27 Communication unit, 28 Display operation unit, 29 Reading unit, 30 Management server, 32 Control unit, 34 Memory unit, 35 Locker information, 36 Usage status information, 37 History information, 37a,137a Time series information, 37b Full occupancy record information, 38 Communication unit, 50 Sales management device, 60 Delivery label, 61 Code display field, 62 Confirmation site code, 63 Invoice information code, 65 Information display section: 66 Basic information, 67 Delivery address information, 68 Recipient information, 69 Requester information, S, Sa, Sb, Sc Store, G Product.

Claims

1. A locker system comprising multiple lockers, each having multiple storage compartments, and a management server that manages information regarding the usage status of the multiple lockers, A storage unit that stores historical information regarding the usage history of the aforementioned multiple lockers, A reception desk that receives inquiries from users regarding the past usage history of the aforementioned lockers, When the reception unit receives the inquiry, the display control unit obtains information on the usage status related to the inquiry from the history information and outputs it to a predetermined display unit. A locker system equipped with [features / equipment].

2. The reception desk receives the inquiry regarding an available storage unit among the multiple storage units that the locker has, along with the user's designation of the locker. The display control unit acquires information regarding the availability of the delivery storage unit at a predetermined date and time in the past from the history information of the designated locker, and outputs it to the display unit as usage status information. The locker system according to claim 1.

3. The reception desk receives the inquiry regarding the available storage area, along with the user's specification of the locker and date and time. The display control unit acquires information regarding the availability of the delivery warehouse, using the specified date and time as the predetermined date and time. The locker system according to claim 2.

4. The reception desk receives the inquiry regarding the full occupancy status, in which all of the multiple storage compartments in the locker are in a delivery state, along with the user's designation of the locker. The display control unit obtains the time periods during which the locker was fully occupied on past predetermined dates from the history information of the designated locker, and outputs them to the display unit as usage status information. The locker system according to claim 1.

5. The reception desk accepts the inquiry regarding the availability of the lockers, along with the user's designation of the locker and date. The display control unit acquires the time period during which the occupancy status was full, with the specified date being the predetermined date. The locker system according to claim 4.

6. The system includes a creation unit that periodically creates full-occupancy performance information for each locker, extracted from information showing the status of the multiple delivery warehouses in chronological order, which includes the time periods when the warehouse was fully occupied, and stores this information in the storage unit, along with the history information. The display control unit obtains the time period during which the locker was fully occupied from the full occupancy record information of the designated locker. The locker system according to claim 4 or 5.

7. The locker has a storage area with multiple sizes corresponding to the packaging size of the goods, The storage unit stores the history information according to the size of the delivery warehouse, The display control unit acquires the usage status information according to the size of the delivery warehouse and outputs it to the display unit. The locker system according to claim 1.

8. A locker system comprising multiple lockers, each having multiple storage compartments, and a management server that manages information regarding the usage status of the multiple lockers, A reception unit that accepts registrations from users for the lockers to be notified from among the aforementioned multiple lockers, Each time an item is taken in or out of the aforementioned storage area, a determination unit determines whether any of the multiple storage areas of the locker have become empty or whether all of them have become full and are in a delivered state. If the determination unit determines that there is a locker that is either available or full, the notification control unit notifies the registered user who has set that locker as a target locker to be notified. A locker system equipped with [features / equipment].

9. The notification control unit obtains the location of the registered user, sends the notification to the registered user whose distance from the notification target locker is within a predetermined distance, and does not send the notification to the registered user whose distance is outside the predetermined distance. The locker system according to claim 8.

10. The locker has a storage area with multiple sizes corresponding to the packaging size of the goods, The determination unit determines whether the storage unit is vacant or full, based on the size of the storage unit. The notification control unit, when it determines that there is a locker that is either available or full, obtains the size of the storage unit where the determination was made and the size of the packaging of the items that the registered user plans to deliver to the locker, and issues the notification if the determination is made for a storage unit that is larger than or equal to the size corresponding to the packaging size, and does not issue the notification if the determination is made for a storage unit that is smaller than the size corresponding to the packaging size. The locker system according to claim 8 or 9.

11. The aforementioned reception desk accepts applications via a designated website provided by the management server and displayable on the user's mobile device. A predetermined label is affixed to the packaging of the aforementioned article. The label displays a code that includes the website address information, which can be read by the mobile device. The locker system according to claim 1 or 8.

12. The code includes information about the locker where the goods are scheduled to be delivered. The reception unit allows users to specify a locker through a designated field where the locker read from the code is displayed as the default. The locker system according to claim 11.

13. An information management method for managing information regarding the usage status of multiple lockers having multiple delivery storage facilities, (a) The step of storing historical information relating to the usage history of the plurality of lockers in a storage unit, (b) A step of receiving inquiries from users regarding the past usage status of the locker, (c) When the inquiry is received in step (b) above, the system obtains information on the usage status related to the inquiry from the history information and outputs it to a predetermined display unit, Information management methods including those mentioned above.

14. An information management method for managing information regarding the usage status of multiple lockers having multiple delivery storage facilities, (a) A step of receiving registration from the user for the locker to be notified among the plurality of lockers, (b) Each time goods are taken in or out of the delivery storage, the step of determining whether any of the multiple delivery storage units of the locker have become empty or whether all of them have become full and are in a delivered state, (c) If, in step (b) above, it is determined that there are lockers that are available or that are full, the registered user who has set the locker as a locker to be notified is notified accordingly. Information management methods including those mentioned above.

Images