Stockpiling decision system, stockpiling decision method, and program

Abstract

To provide a stockpiling decision system, stockpiling decision method, and program that can secure necessary stockpiles of supplies at the appropriate time. [Solution] The stockpiling decision system according to this disclosure comprises a personal information acquisition unit that acquires the user's personal information, a prediction information acquisition unit that acquires disaster prediction information, and a decision unit that determines the necessary stockpiling of supplies for the user based on the personal information and disaster prediction information.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a stockpiling decision system, a stockpiling decision method, and a program.

Background Art

[0002] In recent years, the development of technologies for determining the stockpiling of disaster relief supplies necessary for natural disasters has been underway. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a technology that enables a user to purchase necessary stockpiles based on the user's customer identification information and residence-related information. In Patent Document 1, when a user who wishes to purchase stockpiles for disaster preparedness inputs customer identification information and residence-related information, the disaster relief supply sales management system determines the disaster relief supplies to be stockpiled based on a disaster-time necessary supplies determination table. The disaster-time necessary supplies determination table is a table in which disaster relief supplies that may be necessary during a disaster are determined for each condition. The disaster-time necessary supplies determination table determines disaster relief supplies based on, for example, the user's family composition and information on the location of the building to be stockpiled.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In the sales management system according to Patent Document 1, when a user wishes to purchase stockpiles for disaster preparedness, the user can secure necessary disaster relief stockpiles by operating their own customer PC (Personal Computer) and inputting necessary information. However, when arranging stockpiles based on the user's initiative as in Patent Document 1, there is a risk that the timing of securing the stockpiles may not be appropriate.

[0005] This disclosure is made to address these problems and aims to provide a stockpiling decision system, stockpiling decision method, and program that can secure the necessary stockpiles of supplies at the appropriate time. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The stockpiling decision system relating to this disclosure comprises a personal information acquisition unit that acquires the user's personal information, a prediction information acquisition unit that acquires disaster prediction information, and a decision unit that determines the necessary stockpiling of supplies for the user based on the personal information and the disaster prediction information.

[0007] The stockpiling determination method described herein involves a computer acquiring the user's personal information and disaster prediction information, and then determining the necessary stockpiling of supplies for the user based on the personal information and disaster prediction information.

[0008] The program relating to this disclosure causes a computer to perform the following steps: acquiring the user's personal information; acquiring disaster prediction information; and determining the necessary stockpiles for the user based on the personal information and the disaster prediction information. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] This disclosure provides a stockpiling decision system, stockpiling decision method, and program that can secure necessary stockpiles of supplies at the appropriate time. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0010] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the stockpiling decision system related to this disclosure. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is a flowchart showing an example of the processing operation of the stockpiling decision system. [Figure 3] Figure 3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the stockpiling decision system related to this disclosure. [Figure 4] Figure 4 is a flowchart showing an example of the processing operation of the stockpiling decision system. [Figure 5] Figure 5 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the stockpiling decision system related to this disclosure. [Figure 6] Figure 6 is a flowchart showing an example of the processing operation of the stockpiling decision system. [Figure 7] Figure 7 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the stockpiling decision system related to this disclosure. [Figure 8] Figure 8 is a flowchart showing an example of the processing operation of the stockpiling decision system. [Figure 9] Figure 9 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the stockpiling decision system related to this disclosure. [Figure 10] Figure 10 shows an example of the hardware configuration of the stockpiling decision system related to this disclosure. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0011] (Embodiment 1) Embodiment 1 of this disclosure will be described below with reference to the drawings. Figure 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the stockpiling decision system 1 according to this disclosure. The stockpiling decision system 1 includes a personal information acquisition unit 11, a predictive information acquisition unit 12, and a decision unit 13. In this embodiment, stockpiling is also referred to as material stockpiling. Stockpiling refers to food, daily necessities, and hygiene products necessary for daily life during a disaster. Stockpiling is typically materials stored at the user's place of residence, but may also be stored at the user's workplace.

[0012] The personal information acquisition unit 11 acquires the user's personal information. User personal information refers to information about the user's age, gender, place of residence, family structure, place of work, etc., and is used to identify an individual. User personal information also includes personal information about people living with the user. Typically, user personal information also includes personal information about the user's family. In this case, user personal information also includes information such as the age and gender of the user's family members.

[0013] The prediction information acquisition unit 12 acquires disaster prediction information. A disaster typically refers to a natural disaster, but also includes human-caused disasters. A natural disaster refers to damage that can occur to a user due to natural phenomena. Natural disasters include, for example, natural phenomena such as earthquakes, tsunamis, floods, high tides, and heavy rain, but are not limited to these. Also, a human-caused disaster refers to damage that can occur to a user due to human factors. Human-caused disasters include, for example, disasters such as traffic accidents, wars, terrorism, urban pollution, and industrial accidents, but are not limited to these.

[0014] Disaster prediction information is information about a disaster when it is expected to occur in the future. The disaster prediction information may be information regarding any of the date and time when the disaster is expected to occur, the location, or the magnitude of the disaster. The predicted date and time of the disaster occurrence may be, for example, in units of days or months, but may also be in units of hours or years. Also, the predicted location of the disaster occurrence may be in units of regions, prefectures, or municipalities. Furthermore, the disaster prediction information may include information about the probability of the disaster occurring. The disaster prediction information typically targets disasters that can occur to the user's place of residence, but also includes disasters that can occur to places belonging to the user's range of activities. For example, the disaster prediction information includes disasters that can occur to the user's workplace.

[0015] The determination unit 13 determines the necessary material stockpiles for the user based on the personal information and the disaster prediction information. The necessary material stockpiles for the user include, for example, the necessary material stockpiles for the people living with the user, such as the user's family. For example, the determination unit 13 uses a pre-determined correspondence table to determine the necessary material stockpiles for the user from the date and time when the disaster is expected to occur, the location, and the magnitude of the disaster. Or, the determination unit 13 may use a learned model with the disaster prediction information and information about the necessary material stockpiles for the user as teacher data, input the personal information and the disaster prediction information into the learned model, and output the necessary material stockpiles to determine the material stockpiles.

[0016] The material stockpiling determined by the determination unit 13 is stockpiling that the determination unit 13 determines needs to be stored by the user at a predetermined location, for example, the user's residence. Therefore, when determining the material stockpiling, the determination unit 13 can consider the stockpiling already stored by the user at the predetermined location. That is, the determination unit 13 first tentatively determines the material stockpiling required by the user based on the user's personal information and disaster prediction information, and then determines the amount of the material stockpiling by subtracting the materials already stockpiled by the user at the predetermined location.

[0017] Also, the determination unit 13 typically determines the material stockpiling that the user has not purchased and that the user needs to newly secure, but may also determine the materials required by the user among the material stockpiling that the user has already purchased. For example, if the user has already purchased material stockpiling, but the stockpiling is not at the user's residence but in a storage warehouse at a remote location from the residence, the determination unit 13 may determine the stockpiling that needs to be stored at the user's residence from among the stockpiling.

[0018] Next, the flow of the processing operation by the stockpiling determination system 1 will be described. FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing an example of the processing operation of the stockpiling determination system 1. First, the personal information acquisition unit 11 acquires the personal information of the user (S101). Next, the prediction information acquisition unit 12 acquires the disaster prediction information (S102). Here, the prediction information acquisition unit 12 may acquire the disaster prediction information before the personal information acquisition unit 11 acquires the personal information of the user, or may acquire the disaster prediction information simultaneously with the personal information acquisition unit 11. Thereafter, the determination unit 13 determines the material stockpiling required by the user based on the personal information and the disaster prediction information (S103). Thereby, the stockpiling determination system 1 can determine the material stockpiling required by the user.

[0019] Thus, according to the stockpiling decision system 1 of this embodiment 1, the user can secure the necessary stockpiles of supplies at the appropriate time. In other words, when a user attempts to secure the necessary stockpiles of supplies using related technologies, the user needs to arrange for the stockpiling based on their own initiative. The stockpiling decision system 1 can determine the necessary stockpiles of supplies for the user based not only on the user's personal information but also on disaster prediction information. Therefore, since the stockpiling decision system 1 can determine the necessary stockpiles of supplies for the user based on information about disasters that are expected to occur in the future, the user can secure the necessary stockpiles of supplies at the appropriate time.

[0020] Furthermore, the Stockpiling Decision System 1 can increase the rate at which users stockpile supplies during a disaster. If the rate of stockpiling supplies is low, a situation may arise where users rush to stores and other places in search of supplies when a disaster occurs. In such cases, users may not be able to secure the necessary supplies. The Stockpiling Decision System 1 can determine the necessary supplies for each user based on their personal information and disaster prediction information, so that the necessary supplies can be provided to the user at the necessary time. As a result, users can secure the necessary supplies.

[0021] (Embodiment 2) Next, Embodiment 2 of the present disclosure will be described. Figure 3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the stockpiling decision system 2 according to the present disclosure. The stockpiling decision system 2 includes a personal information acquisition unit 11, a predictive information acquisition unit 12, a decision unit 13, a proposal unit 14, and a transmission unit 15. In other words, the stockpiling decision system 2 is the stockpiling decision system 1 according to Embodiment 1 with the addition of the proposal unit 14 and the transmission unit 15. Where there is a description that is redundant with respect to the stockpiling decision system 1, such description will be omitted as appropriate. In addition, in the stockpiling decision system 2, the same reference numerals are used for components that are the same as those in the stockpiling decision system 1.

[0022] The personal information acquisition unit 11 acquires the user's personal information in the same way as the stockpiling decision system 1. In the stockpiling decision system 2, the personal information acquisition unit 11 can acquire some or all of the user's personal information from the administrative agency to which the user belongs. In other words, the personal information acquisition unit 11 does not require input from the user for some or all of the user's personal information. Here, the administrative agency to which the user belongs may be the national government, a local government, or both. The personal information acquisition unit 11 can acquire the user's personal information from the administrative agency as needed, for example, by obtaining the user's prior consent. The prediction information acquisition unit 12 acquires disaster prediction information in the same way as the stockpiling decision system 1. The decision unit 13 also determines the necessary stockpiling of supplies for the user, in the same way as the stockpiling decision system 1.

[0023] The proposal unit 14 proposes the stockpiles of supplies determined by the decision unit 13 to the user. In other words, the proposal unit 14 has a function to suggest stockpiles of supplies to the user. The proposal unit 14 can propose stockpiles of supplies to the user by displaying a list of such stockpiles on the display of the user's smartphone or PC. In this case, the proposal unit 14 may display the list of such stockpiles based on application software installed on the smartphone or PC. For example, the proposal unit 14 can propose stockpiles of supplies to the user by transmitting information about the stockpiles determined by the decision unit 13 on a predetermined application server to the user's smartphone or PC.

[0024] The proposal unit 14 can propose not only the stockpiling of supplies but also the amount of money to spend on purchasing those supplies. Typically, the proposal unit 14 proposes all of the supplies and their amounts determined by the decision unit 13 to the user, but it may also propose only the most expensive supplies, or only the total number of supplies and their total amount.

[0025] The user can approve the proposal submitted by Proposal Section 14. Similarly, the user can choose not to approve the proposal. Furthermore, the user can approve only a portion of the proposal and not the rest. In this case, the user may approve the proposal for a specific category or stockpile by selecting that category or stockpile.

[0026] The transmission unit 15 transmits delivery information to the distributor of the stockpiled goods for delivery to the user, based on the user's approval. That is, when the proposal unit 14 proposes stockpiled goods to the user and the user approves the proposal, the transmission unit 15 transmits delivery information to the distributor for delivery of the stockpiled goods related to the proposal. For example, if the user approves only some of the proposals, the transmission unit 15 transmits only the delivery information for the stockpiled goods related to the proposals approved by the user to the distributor. Here, if the proposals from the proposal unit 14 are displayed on the user's smartphone or PC screen based on predetermined application software, the user may transmit the delivery information to the distributor by operating on the application. The transmission unit 15 transmits the delivery information from the application server to the distributor by performing data communication, for example, using an internet connection.

[0027] Delivery information refers to, for example, a delivery instruction to deliver the stockpiled goods to a specified location. However, delivery information may also include the order details for the stockpiled goods or the contents of the stockpiled goods themselves. Furthermore, delivery information may include information about the delivery destination of the stockpiled goods, such as the user's place of residence or place of work. Here, a distributor is any business involved in the process of delivering the stockpiled goods to the user. Distributors include, for example, retailers, e-commerce (EC) businesses, and delivery companies for the goods. In other words, when a user purchases the stockpiled goods, delivery information is typically sent to the retailer or e-commerce business. Also, if a user has already purchased the stockpiled goods, delivery information is typically sent to the delivery company.

[0028] The transmission unit 15 can directly transmit delivery information regarding the stockpiled goods determined by the decision unit 13 to the distributor, in accordance with the decision made by the decision unit 13. In other words, the transmission unit 15 can transmit delivery information regarding the stockpiled goods determined by the decision unit 13 to the distributor without obtaining approval from the user. In this case, the proposal unit 14 does not propose the decision made by the decision unit 13 to the user.

[0029] Next, the processing flow of the stockpiling decision system 2 will be explained. Figure 4 is a flowchart of an example of the processing operation of the stockpiling decision system 2. In Figure 4, the proposal unit 14 proposes the necessary stockpiling of supplies to the user. Therefore, the transmission unit 15 transmits delivery information based on the user's approval. Steps S101 to S103 are the same as those of the stockpiling decision system 1 according to Embodiment 1, so their explanation will be omitted. After step S103, the proposal unit 14 proposes the stockpiling of supplies determined by the decision unit 13 to the user (S104). Subsequently, the transmission unit 15 transmits delivery information to the distributors involved in the stockpiling for the purpose of delivering the stockpiling to the user, based on the user's approval (S105).

[0030] As described above, the stockpiling decision system 2 according to this embodiment 2 transmits delivery information to distributors for delivering necessary stockpiles to the user. Since the stockpiling decision system 2 automates at least a part of the delivery process, it can improve convenience compared to the stockpiling decision system 1 according to embodiment 1. Furthermore, the stockpiling decision system 2 can propose stockpiles to the user once, and if the user approves, it can transmit delivery information related to those stockpiles to distributors. In this case, even if the stockpiling decision system 2 determines that a stockpile is necessary, if the user determines that a stockpile is unnecessary, it will not be delivered to the user, thus further improving convenience. The stockpiling decision system 2 can transmit delivery information for stockpiles to distributors without proposing stockpiles to the user. This makes it possible to deliver necessary stockpiles to the user even when it is difficult to obtain user approval or when the user may not be able to make a sound judgment.

[0031] (Embodiment 3) Next, Embodiment 3 of the present disclosure will be described. Figure 5 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the stockpiling decision system 3 according to the present disclosure. The stockpiling decision system 3 includes a personal information acquisition unit 11, a predictive information acquisition unit 12, a decision unit 13, a proposal unit 14, a transmission unit 15, an authentication unit 16, and a receiving order calculation unit 17. The stockpiling decision system 3 is the stockpiling decision system 2 according to Embodiment 2 with the addition of the authentication unit 16 and the receiving order calculation unit 17. Components identical to those in stockpiling decision system 1 and stockpiling decision system 2 are denoted by the same reference numerals. Also, redundant explanations will be omitted as appropriate.

[0032] The personal information acquisition unit 11 acquires authentication information for user authentication in addition to the personal information acquired by the stockpiling decision system 1 and the stockpiling decision system 2. The technology for user authentication is, for example, biometric authentication. Biometric authentication includes, but is not limited to, facial recognition, fingerprint recognition, iris recognition, vein recognition, and voice recognition. That is, in the case of facial recognition, the authentication information is the user's facial information. In the case of fingerprint recognition, the authentication information is the user's fingerprint information. The personal information acquisition unit 11 may acquire one or more pieces of authentication information. The personal information acquisition unit 11 transmits the authentication information to, for example, an application server. The personal information acquisition unit 11 may also transmit the information directly to the authentication unit 16.

[0033] The prediction information acquisition unit 12, the decision unit 13, and the proposal unit 14 have the same functions as the stockpiling decision system 1 and the stockpiling decision system 2. The transmission unit 15 transmits to the distributor, in addition to delivery information for delivery to the user, that the user will pick up the stockpiled goods at the storage warehouse where the stockpiled goods are stored. In other words, in the stockpiling decision system 3, the user can pick up the stockpiled goods at the storage warehouse. In other words, in the stockpiling decision system 3, the user can choose whether to have the stockpiled goods delivered to their place of residence or to pick them up at the storage warehouse. The user can make this selection, for example, from their smartphone or PC.

[0034] Here, the storage warehouse from which the user receives the supplies typically refers to, but is not limited to, the warehouse where the supplies are stored at the time the user selects the receiving method. In other words, the storage warehouse from which the user receives the supplies may be a different storage warehouse from the one where the supplies are actually stored.

[0035] If the user chooses to receive the stockpiled goods at a storage warehouse, the transmitting unit 15 transmits this information to the distributor. If the storage warehouse where the user will receive the stockpiled goods is not the warehouse where the stockpiled goods are currently stored, the transmitting unit 15 may transmit information about the storage warehouse to be received by the user as delivery information to the distributor. If the user receives the stockpiled goods at the warehouse where the stockpiled goods are currently stored, the transmitting unit 15 does not need to transmit information about that storage warehouse to the distributor. The transmitting unit 15 transmits information that the user will receive the stockpiled goods at a storage warehouse to the distributor that manages the storage warehouse. That is, the transmitting unit 15 may transmit this information to the same distributor to which the delivery information is sent, or it may transmit it to a different distributor.

[0036] The authentication unit 16 authenticates users receiving stockpiled supplies in the storage warehouse. That is, the authentication unit 16 is installed in the storage warehouse where users receive stockpiled supplies. Multiple authentication units 16 may be installed in each storage warehouse. Also, multiple authentication units 16 may be installed within a single storage warehouse. The authentication unit 16 obtains information from the user that corresponds to the authentication information obtained by the personal information acquisition unit 11. If the personal information acquisition unit 11 obtains the user's facial information, the authentication unit 16 obtains the facial information of the user who came to the storage warehouse. In this case, the authentication unit 16 is equipped with an authentication camera. If the personal information acquisition unit 11 obtains the user's fingerprint information, the authentication unit 16 obtains the user's fingerprint information. In this case, the authentication unit 16 is equipped with a fingerprint reader.

[0037] The authentication unit 16 authenticates the user by communicating the acquired authentication information, for example, with the application server, and comparing it with the authentication information acquired by the personal information acquisition unit 11. If the authentication unit 16 directly receives the authentication information acquired by the personal information acquisition unit 11, the authentication unit 16 authenticates the user by comparing the newly acquired user authentication information with the authentication information stored within itself.

[0038] If the authentication unit 16 is able to authenticate the user who has come to the storage warehouse, the user can receive the stockpiled supplies. If the authentication unit 16 is unable to authenticate the user, the user cannot receive the stockpiled supplies. If the personal information acquisition unit 11 has acquired multiple pieces of authentication information, the authentication unit 16 may authenticate the user using another authentication method.

[0039] The receiving order calculation unit 17 has the function of calculating the priority of receiving supplies among other users in the storage warehouse when a user receives supplies from the storage warehouse. Specifically, the receiving order calculation unit 17 can give priority to receiving supplies by users who are using the storage decision system 3 over receiving supplies by users who are not using the storage decision system 3. In other words, the receiving order calculation unit 17 can adjust the receiving order so that users using the storage decision system 3 can receive supplies preferentially.

[0040] The receiving order calculation unit 17 is installed, for example, at the entrance of a storage warehouse. The receiving order calculation unit 17 determines whether a user who has come to receive supplies is a user who is using the stockpiling decision system 3. The receiving order calculation unit 17 determines whether a user is a user who is using the stockpiling decision system 3 by, for example, receiving the user's identification number used when using the stockpiling decision system 3 from the user. The receiving order calculation unit 17 may also be equipped with an input unit (not shown) that receives identification information from the user in order to make this determination. Alternatively, the receiving order calculation unit 17 may make this determination by performing data communication with the authentication unit 16. That is, if the authentication unit 16 can authenticate the user, the authentication unit 16 transmits that fact to the receiving order calculation unit 17. The receiving order calculation unit 17 may determine that the user is a user who is using the stockpiling decision system 3 by receiving that fact from the authentication unit 16.

[0041] The receiving order calculation unit 17 can guide users who are using the stockpiling decision system 3 to separate receiving lanes for stockpiled supplies. In other words, the receiving order calculation unit 17 guides users so that the waiting time in the receiving lane for users using the stockpiling decision system 3 is shorter than the waiting time for users who are not using the stockpiling decision system 3. In other words, the receiving order calculation unit 17 can increase the priority of receiving supplies for users using the stockpiling decision system 3 by guiding them to a priority lane.

[0042] The receiving order calculation unit 17 can also increase the priority of users who are using the stockpiling decision system 3 to receive stockpiled supplies by giving them an earlier turn than users who are not using the system. In other words, regardless of whether or not the stockpiling decision system 3 is being used, if all users who come to receive stockpiled supplies line up in the same lane, the receiving order calculation unit 17 can increase the priority of users to receive supplies by guiding users who are using the stockpiling decision system 3 to line up earlier than users who are not using the system.

[0043] Next, the processing flow of the stockpiling decision system 3 will be explained. Figure 6 is a flowchart of an example of the processing operation of the stockpiling decision system 3. Figure 6 is an example where a user has selected to receive the stockpiled supplies to the storage warehouse, and the receiving order calculation unit 17 adjusts the priority of the user's receiving. Steps S101 to S104 are the same as in Figure 4, which is an example of the processing operation of the stockpiling decision system 2 according to Embodiment 2, so the explanation will be omitted.

[0044] In step S104, the user who receives a proposal for necessary stockpiling from the proposal unit 14 approves the proposal. At the same time, the user selects to receive the stockpiling at the storage warehouse. The transmission unit 15 transmits to the distributor that the user will receive the stockpiling at the storage warehouse (S105). Here, the transmission unit 15 can transmit necessary delivery information regarding the stockpiling to the distributor. Next, the authentication unit 16 authenticates the user who has come to the storage warehouse to pick up the stockpiling using authentication information (S106). Here, the authentication unit 16 authenticates the user by comparing the authentication information obtained by the authentication unit 16 with the authentication information obtained by the personal information acquisition unit 11. After that, the receiving order calculation unit 17 determines the receiving order in such a way that it gives priority to users who are using the stockpiling decision system 3 (S107). As a result, the user can receive the stockpiling preferentially.

[0045] Thus, with the Stockpiling Decision System 3, users can choose whether to have the stockpiled supplies delivered to their place of residence or to pick them up at the storage warehouse. Therefore, the Stockpiling Decision System 3 can further improve user convenience. In addition, the Stockpiling Decision System 3 authenticates users who come to the storage warehouse to pick up stockpiled supplies. This reduces the risk of other users mistakenly receiving the wrong stockpiled supplies. It also prevents unauthorized receipt by unauthorized persons. Furthermore, the Stockpiling Decision System 3 can give priority to users who use the Stockpiling Decision System 3 when picking up supplies compared to users who do not use the Stockpiling Decision System 3. As a result, the Stockpiling Decision System 3 can improve user convenience and encourage users to use the Stockpiling Decision System 3. Therefore, the Stockpiling Decision System 3 can improve the rate of stockpiling by users.

[0046] (Embodiment 4) The stockpiling decision system 4 according to this fourth embodiment has the same configuration as the stockpiling decision system 3. In embodiments 1 to 3, the prediction information acquisition unit 12 determined the necessary stockpiling of supplies for the user based on disaster prediction information, but the decision unit 13 of the stockpiling decision system 4 can determine the necessary stockpiling of supplies for the user even when disaster prediction information has not been issued. That is, the decision unit 13 can determine the necessary stockpiling of supplies for the user based solely on the user's personal information. The configuration of the stockpiling decision system 4 other than the decision unit 13 is the same as that of the stockpiling decision system 3, so a description is omitted.

[0047] The decision unit 13 determines the amount of supplies needed by the user to be less when disaster prediction information has not been issued compared to when disaster prediction information has been issued. In other words, when disaster prediction information has been issued, the decision unit 13 determines the amount of supplies needed by the user to be more compared to when disaster prediction information has not been issued. That is, the decision unit 13 can determine the amount of supplies needed by the user even during normal times. The decision unit 13 determines the amount of supplies needed by the user to be more periodically, for example. The period at which the decision unit 13 determines the amount of supplies needed during normal times may be once a month, once every six months, or once a year.

[0048] The decision unit 13 determines the amount of supplies to be stockpiled during normal times, for example, when disaster prediction information is issued, by reducing supplies with narrow uses. Alternatively, the decision unit 13 may determine the amount of supplies to be stockpiled during normal times by reducing supplies that are not scarce, or by reducing expensive supplies.

[0049] When the decision unit 13 makes a decision regarding the stockpiling of supplies during normal times, the transmission unit 15 can transmit delivery information for the stockpiling related to that decision to distributors, similar to when disaster prediction information is issued. Furthermore, the proposal unit 14 can propose that decision to the user, similar to when disaster prediction information is issued. Other functions of the decision unit 13 are the same as those of the decision unit 13 in the stockpiling decision system 3, and therefore will not be described further.

[0050] According to the stockpiling decision system 4, users can determine the necessary stockpiles even during normal times, thus promoting the arrangement of stockpiles from peacetime. This can avoid confusion that may occur when arranging stockpiles in the event of a disaster prediction alert. Furthermore, during normal times, the amount of stockpiles required can be reduced compared to when a disaster prediction alert is issued, thereby improving user convenience.

[0051] (Embodiment 5) The stockpiling decision system 5 according to this embodiment 5 has the same configuration as the stockpiling decision system 3. In the stockpiling decision system 3, the personal information acquisition unit 11 acquires personal information such as the user's age, gender, address of residence, and family structure, as well as authentication information for authentication by the authentication unit 16. However, by having the personal information acquisition unit 11 acquire various user-related information other than this information, the decision unit 13 can determine the stockpiling of supplies appropriate for each individual user. This embodiment 5 will describe the user-related information acquired by the personal information acquisition unit 11, the stockpiling of supplies determined by the decision unit 13 based on that information, and the content that the proposal unit 14 can propose in response to that decision. Note that the configuration other than the personal information acquisition unit 11 is the same as that of the stockpiling decision system 3, so the explanation will be omitted.

[0052] The personal information acquisition unit 11 can acquire the user's medical-related information. Medical-related information refers to information about the user's health and medical data. Health and medical data can be classified into health data and medical data. Health data is data that indicates the user's health status. Health data includes, for example, the results of the user's health checkups and various numerical data indicating the user's health status, such as the user's blood pressure, weight, and body temperature, which are measured on a daily basis. Medical data is data related to the medical treatment the user has received, such as the user's medical history and medication information.

[0053] The personal information acquisition unit 11 may acquire the user's medical information by receiving input from the user, or it may automatically acquire the user's medical information by linking with an external database related to health and medical data.

[0054] Furthermore, the personal information acquisition unit 11 can acquire information about a user's special needs status if the user is a person requiring special consideration during a disaster. A person requiring special consideration during a disaster is defined as a person who has difficulty evacuating or securing their own life compared to a healthy person. People requiring special consideration include, for example, the elderly, people with disabilities, pregnant women, and infants.

[0055] The personal information acquisition unit 11 can acquire information on whether a user is elderly based on the user's age. The personal information acquisition unit 11 may acquire information on whether a user is elderly by receiving input from the user or by acquiring information from the administrative agency to which the user belongs. In addition, the personal information acquisition unit 11 can acquire information on whether a user is disabled, pregnant, or has infants in their family by receiving input from the user or by acquiring information from the administrative agency to which the user belongs. If the user is disabled, the personal information acquisition unit 11 may also acquire information on the specific disability, such as the name of the disease the user has. The personal information acquisition unit 11 may also acquire information on the user's disability from an external database related to the user's health and medical data.

[0056] Furthermore, the personal information acquisition unit 11 can acquire community-related information concerning the local community to which the user belongs. A local community is a community with local characteristics, and is a group composed of residents who share attributes with the user. Specifically, local communities include neighborhood associations, residents' associations, senior citizens' associations, children's associations, disaster prevention communities, and fire brigades. Community-related information includes information such as the size and age composition of the local community to which the user belongs, and information about the user's role in that local community. The personal information acquisition unit 11 acquires community-related information by receiving input from the user or by acquiring information from the administrative agency to which the user belongs. Specifically, the personal information acquisition unit 11 may acquire such information by linking data with a local community database held by the administrative agency.

[0057] The decision unit 13 determines the necessary supplies to stockpile for the user based on the information acquired by the personal information acquisition unit 11. If the personal information acquisition unit 11 acquires the user's medical-related information, the decision unit 13 determines, based on that medical-related information, that medical-related supplies necessary for the user in the event of a disaster should be included as at least part of the supplies stockpile. Medical-related supplies are items related to medical care and health necessary for the user's daily life during a disaster. Examples of medical-related supplies include pharmaceuticals, medical devices, and health maintenance products.

[0058] When the personal information acquisition unit 11 acquires information on persons requiring special consideration, the decision unit 13 decides on the stockpiling of supplies based on the information on persons requiring special consideration. Stockpiling of supplies based on information on persons requiring special consideration includes, for example, if the user is elderly or disabled, medical supplies needed by that user. If the user is pregnant, the decision unit 13 decides on supplies such as childbirth preparation items and newborn supplies. If the user has an infant in their family, the decision unit 13 decides on supplies such as disposable diapers and emergency food for infants.

[0059] When the personal information acquisition unit 11 acquires local community-related information, the decision unit 13 determines the necessary stockpiles of supplies for users in that local community based on the local community-related information. Here, the decision unit 13 determines the stockpiles considering that users will distribute the stockpiles within the local community. For example, the decision unit 13 determines the stockpiles to be delivered to users in quantities equal to the number of people belonging to the local community for a given amount of a given stockpiled item.

[0060] When the decision unit 13 determines the amount of supplies needed by the user in the local community, the proposal unit 14 can further propose a distribution plan for the user to distribute those supplies within the community. In other words, the proposal unit 14 can propose a distribution plan that will make the distribution of supplies in the local community more efficient, along with information about the supplies.

[0061] Thus, the stockpiling decision system 5 can acquire various user-related information about the user and, based on that user-related information, can determine the appropriate stockpiling of supplies for each individual user. Therefore, the stockpiling decision system 5 can determine the stockpiling of supplies that are tailored to the user's condition and environment, thereby ensuring that supplies meet the user's needs. Furthermore, by acquiring the user's medical-related information, the stockpiling decision system 5 can stockpile supplies suitable for prevention and treatment according to the user's health condition. In addition, if the user is a person requiring special consideration, the stockpiling decision system 5 can acquire information on persons requiring special consideration, thereby ensuring that supplies needed by persons requiring special consideration are secured. Moreover, by acquiring the user's local community-related information, the stockpiling decision system 5 enables efficient distribution of supplies to the entire community. Therefore, it can reduce the burden on each user compared to each user storing the same stockpiling.

[0062] (Embodiment 6) The stockpiling decision system 6 according to this embodiment 6 will now be described. Figure 7 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the stockpiling decision system 6 according to this disclosure. The stockpiling decision system 6 is newly equipped with a weather data acquisition unit 18 compared to the stockpiling decision system 3. Components identical to those in the stockpiling decision system 3 are denoted by the same reference numerals. Also, redundant explanations will be omitted as appropriate.

[0063] The meteorological data acquisition unit 18 acquires meteorological data. Meteorological data refers to data relating to atmospheric and oceanic conditions. Data relating to atmospheric conditions includes, but is not limited to, data relating to temperature, weather, humidity, wind speed, and atmospheric pressure. Data relating to oceanic conditions includes, but is not limited to, data relating to water temperature, ocean currents, and water level. The meteorological data acquisition unit 18 acquires meteorological data measured using meteorological observation instruments.

[0064] The decision unit 13 determines the necessary stockpiles for the user based on the user's personal information and disaster prediction information, along with the weather data acquired by the weather data acquisition unit 18. In making this determination, the decision unit 13 integrates the disaster prediction information and the weather data, and determines the stockpiles based on the integrated information. The other configurations of the stockpiling decision system 6 are the same as those of the stockpiling decision system 3, so their explanation is omitted.

[0065] Next, the processing flow of the stockpiling decision system 6 will be explained. Figure 8 is a flowchart showing an example of the processing operation of the stockpiling decision system 6. First, the personal information acquisition unit 11 acquires the user's personal information (S201). Next, the forecast information acquisition unit 12 acquires disaster forecast information (S202). After that, the weather data acquisition unit 18 acquires weather data (S203). Here, the weather data acquisition unit 18 may acquire weather data before the personal information acquisition unit 11 and the forecast information acquisition unit 12 acquire their respective information, or it may acquire weather data simultaneously with either the personal information acquisition unit 11 or the forecast information acquisition unit 12. After that, the decision unit 13 decides on the stockpiling of supplies considering the weather data (S204). Steps S205 to S208 are the same flow as steps S104 to S107 in Figure 6 relating to the stockpiling decision system 3, so further explanation will be omitted.

[0066] As described above, the stockpiling decision system 6 according to this embodiment 6 can determine the necessary stockpiles for the user based on weather data. In particular, when the disaster related to the disaster prediction information is a natural disaster, the stockpiling decision system 6 can determine stockpiles with more precise analysis by further considering weather data. Furthermore, even when no disaster prediction information has been issued, the system can determine stockpiles appropriate to the weather conditions by considering weather data.

[0067] (Other embodiments) A modified example of the stockpiling decision system 3 according to Embodiment 3 will be described with reference to the drawings. Figure 9 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the stockpiling decision system 3a according to this disclosure. The stockpiling decision system 3a is equipped with a delivery order calculation unit 19 instead of a receiving order calculation unit 17 compared to the stockpiling decision system 3. In the stockpiling decision system 3a, the stockpiling of goods related to the proposal approved by the user is delivered to a predetermined location such as the user's place of residence or workplace. In other words, the stockpiling decision system 3a does not assume a situation in which the user goes to the storage warehouse of the stockpiling to pick it up.

[0068] The delivery order calculation unit 19 can prioritize the delivery of stockpiled supplies to users who are using the stockpiling decision system 3a over the delivery of stockpiled supplies to users who are not using the stockpiling decision system 3a. In other words, the delivery order calculation unit 19 can adjust the delivery order so that stockpiled supplies are delivered preferentially to users who are using the stockpiling decision system 3a. That is, in the stockpiling decision system 3, the priority of a user can be increased when they receive stockpiled supplies at the storage warehouse, while in the stockpiling decision system 3a, the priority of a user can be increased when stockpiled supplies are delivered to that user.

[0069] Furthermore, the delivery order calculation unit 19 can adjust the delivery order based on road surface information. Road surface information includes, for example, the damage status and road surface freezing conditions of roads that may be used as delivery routes. In other words, the delivery order calculation unit 19 can determine the order in which to deliver stockpiled goods based on road surface information. For example, the delivery order calculation unit 19 can adjust the delivery order so that the delivery order for users who have difficulty traveling is lower than that for users who do not have difficulty traveling.

[0070] As a result, the stockpiling decision system 3a can improve user convenience even when stockpiling supplies is delivered. Furthermore, the stockpiling decision system 3a can encourage users to use the stockpiling decision system 3a even when stockpiling supplies is delivered. Consequently, the stockpiling decision system 3a can improve the rate of stockpiling by users. In addition, since the stockpiling decision system 3a can adjust the delivery order based on road surface information, it can appropriately deliver stockpiling supplies to users.

[0071] (Example hardware configuration) Figure 10 shows an example of the hardware configuration of the stockpiling decision system 20 according to this disclosure. In Figure 10, the stockpiling decision system 20 has a processor 21 and a memory 22. The processor 21 may be, for example, a microprocessor, an MPU (Micro Processing Unit), or a CPU (Central Processing Unit). The processor 21 may include multiple processors. The memory 22 is composed of a combination of volatile memory and non-volatile memory. The memory 22 may include storage located away from the processor 21. In this case, the processor 21 may access the memory 22 via an I / O (Input / Output) interface, which is not shown.

[0072] In the above example, the program can be stored and provided to the computer using various types of non-transitory computer-readable medium. Non-transitory computer-readable medium includes various types of tangible storage medium. Examples of non-transitory computer-readable medium include magnetic storage media (e.g., magneto-optical disks), CD-ROMs, CD-Rs, CD-R / Ws, and semiconductor memory (e.g., mask ROMs, PROMs (Programmable ROMs), EPROMs (Erasable PROMs), flash ROMs, RAMs). Alternatively, the program may be provided to the computer using various types of transient computer-readable medium. Examples of transient computer-readable medium include electrical signals, optical signals, and electromagnetic waves. Transitory computer-readable medium can supply the program to the computer via wired communication channels such as electric wires and optical fibers, or via wireless communication channels. Computers include various information processing devices such as PCs, servers, CPUs, MPUs, FPGAs (Field Programmable Gate Arrays), and ASICs (Application Specific Integrated Circuits).

[0073] Although the present disclosure has been described above with reference to embodiments, the present disclosure is not limited to the embodiments described above. Various modifications to the structure and details of the present disclosure can be made as can be understood by those skilled in the art within the scope of the present disclosure. Furthermore, each embodiment can be combined with other embodiments as appropriate.

[0074] Each drawing is merely illustrative to illustrate one or more embodiments. Each drawing may be associated with one or more other embodiments rather than with only one specific embodiment. As those skilled in the art will understand, various features or steps described with reference to any one drawing can be combined with features or steps shown in one or more other drawings, for example, to create embodiments not explicitly shown or described. Not all features or steps shown in any one drawing to illustrate an exemplary embodiment are necessarily required, and some features or steps may be omitted. The order of steps shown in any of the drawings may be changed as appropriate.

[0075] Some or all of the above embodiments may also be described as follows, but are not limited to the following: (Note 1) The Personal Information Acquisition Department acquires users' personal information, A disaster prediction information acquisition unit that acquires disaster prediction information, The system includes a decision unit that determines the necessary stockpiles for the user based on the aforementioned personal information and the aforementioned disaster prediction information. Stockpiling decision system. (Note 2) A proposal unit proposes the stockpiled supplies determined by the decision unit to the user, The system further includes a transmission unit that, based on the user's approval, transmits delivery information to a distributor of the stockpiled goods for delivering the stockpiled goods to the user. The stockpiling decision system described in Appendix 1. (Note 3) The system further includes a transmission unit that transmits delivery information for delivering the stockpiled goods to the user to a distributor of the stockpiled goods, in accordance with the decision made by the decision unit. The stockpiling decision system described in Appendix 1. (Note 4) The aforementioned personal information acquisition unit acquires the aforementioned personal information from the administrative agency to which the user belongs. The stockpiling decision system described in any one of the items 1 to 3 in the appendix. (Note 5) The decision unit, when the disaster prediction information has not been issued, reduces the amount of supplies required for the user compared to when the disaster prediction information has been issued. The stockpiling decision system described in any one of the items 1 to 4 in the appendix. (Note 6) The system further includes an authentication unit for authenticating the aforementioned user, The personal information acquisition unit acquires authentication information for authenticating the user, The transmitting unit transmits to the distributor that the user has received the stockpiled goods at the storage warehouse for the stockpiled goods. The authentication unit authenticates the user who retrieves the stockpiled goods in the storage warehouse based on the authentication information. The stockpiling decision system described in any one of the items 2 to 5 in the appendix. (Note 7) The system further includes a receiving order calculation unit that prioritizes the receiving of stockpiled goods by users who are using the stockpiling decision system over receiving stockpiled goods by users who are not using the stockpiling decision system. The stockpiling decision system described in Appendix 6. (Note 8) The aforementioned personal information acquisition unit acquires the user's medical-related information, The decision unit determines, based on the medical-related information, that medical supplies necessary for the user during a disaster should be included as at least part of the stockpiled supplies. The stockpiling decision system described in any one of the items 1 through 7 of the appendix. (Note 9) The personal information acquisition unit acquires the user's information regarding persons requiring special consideration in the event that the user is a person requiring special consideration during a disaster. The decision unit determines the stockpiling of supplies based on the information of persons requiring special consideration. The stockpiling decision system described in any one of the items 1 through 8 of the appendix. (Note 10) The aforementioned personal information acquisition unit acquires community-related information relating to the local community to which the user belongs, The decision unit determines, based on the local community-related information, the stockpiling of supplies necessary for the user in the local community. The stockpiling decision system described in any one of the items 1 through 9 in the appendix. (Note 11) The system further includes a delivery order calculation unit that prioritizes the delivery of the stockpiled goods to users who are using the stockpiled goods decision system over the delivery of the stockpiled goods to users who are not using the stockpiled goods decision system. The stockpiling decision system described in any one of the items 1 to 4 in the appendix. (Note 12) Computers We obtain the user's personal information, Obtain disaster prediction information, Based on the aforementioned personal information and the aforementioned disaster prediction information, the necessary stockpiling of supplies for the user is determined. Method for deciding on stockpiling. (Note 13) Steps to obtain the user's personal information, Steps to obtain disaster prediction information, A step of determining the necessary stockpiles for the user based on the aforementioned personal information and the aforementioned disaster prediction information, A program that causes a computer to execute something.

[0076] Some or all of the elements (e.g., configuration and function) described in Appendices 2 to 11 that are dependent on Appendice 1 may also be dependent on Appendices 12 and 13 in the same way as those described in Appendices 2 to 11. Some or all of the elements described in any appendice may be applicable to various hardware, software, recording means, systems, and methods for recording software. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0077] 1. Stockpiling Decision System 2. Stockpiling Decision System 3. Stockpiling Decision System 3a Stockpiling Decision System 4. Stockpiling Decision System 5. Stockpiling Decision System 6. Stockpiling Decision System 11 Personal information acquisition department 12 Predictive Information Acquisition Unit 13 Decision Section 14 Proposal Department 15 Transmitter 16. Authentication Department 17 Receiving Order Calculation Unit 18. Weather Data Acquisition Unit 19 Delivery order calculation section 20 Stockpiling Decision System 21 processors 22 memory

Claims

1. The Personal Information Acquisition Department acquires users' personal information, A disaster prediction information acquisition unit that acquires disaster prediction information, The system includes a decision unit that determines the necessary stockpiles for the user based on the aforementioned personal information and the aforementioned disaster prediction information. Stockpiling decision system.

2. A proposal unit proposes the stockpiled supplies determined by the decision unit to the user, The system further includes a transmission unit that, based on the user's approval, transmits delivery information to a distributor of the stockpiled goods for delivering the stockpiled goods to the user. The stockpiling decision system according to claim 1.

3. The system further includes a transmission unit that transmits delivery information for delivering the stockpiled goods to the user to a distributor of the stockpiled goods, in accordance with the decision made by the decision unit. The stockpiling decision system according to claim 1.

4. The aforementioned personal information acquisition unit acquires the aforementioned personal information from the administrative agency to which the user belongs. The stockpiling decision system according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

5. The decision unit, when the disaster prediction information has not been issued, reduces the amount of supplies required for the user compared to when the disaster prediction information has been issued. The stockpiling decision system according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

6. The system further includes an authentication unit for authenticating the aforementioned user, The personal information acquisition unit acquires authentication information for authenticating the user, The transmitting unit transmits to the distributor that the user has received the stockpiled goods at the storage warehouse for the stockpiled goods. The authentication unit authenticates the user who retrieves the stockpiled goods in the storage warehouse based on the authentication information. The stockpiling determination system according to claim 2 or 3.

7. The system further includes a receiving order calculation unit that prioritizes the receiving of stockpiled goods by users who are using the stockpiling decision system over receiving stockpiled goods by users who are not using the stockpiling decision system. The stockpiling decision system according to claim 6.

8. The aforementioned personal information acquisition unit acquires the user's medical-related information, The decision unit determines, based on the medical-related information, that medical supplies necessary for the user during a disaster should be included as at least part of the stockpiled supplies. The stockpiling decision system according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

9. Computers We obtain the user's personal information, Obtain disaster prediction information, Based on the aforementioned personal information and the aforementioned disaster prediction information, the necessary stockpiling of supplies for the user is determined. Method for deciding on stockpiling.

10. Steps to obtain the user's personal information, Steps to obtain disaster prediction information, A step of determining the necessary stockpiles for the user based on the aforementioned personal information and the aforementioned disaster prediction information, A program that causes a computer to execute something.

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