Program, inventory information providing device, and inventory information providing method

Abstract

The objective of this invention is to provide results tailored to users with different search objectives. [Solution] The program makes the user's terminal function as a search condition receiving means that accepts at least part of the name of the capsule toy desired by the user as a search condition, an inventory information acquisition means that acquires inventory information related to capsule toy dispensing devices that match the search condition, and a presentation means that uses the acquired inventory information to present simplified inventory information, which is different from the detailed inventory information presented as inventory information to the terminal of the administrator who manages the capsule toy dispensing devices.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a program, an inventory information providing device, and an inventory information providing method.

Background Art

[0002] There is a technique for providing different displays according to the form of a terminal for displaying information (Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, in the above Patent Document 1, the displayed content is the same and is not a display according to the user's search purpose. Therefore, the problem to be solved by the present invention is to make a presentation according to users in different positions with different search purposes.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] One aspect of the present invention is a program that functions as search condition receiving means for receiving at least a part of the name of a capsule toy desired by a user as a search condition for the user's terminal, inventory information acquisition means for acquiring inventory information regarding a capsule toy providing device that matches the search condition, and presentation means for presenting simple inventory information different from the detailed inventory information as inventory information presented to the terminal of an administrator who manages the capsule toy providing device using the acquired inventory information.

[0006] One aspect of the present invention is an inventory information providing device comprising: an inventory information management means for managing inventory information of capsule toy dispensing devices installed in a store and capable of detecting the provision of capsule toys; a search condition receiving means for receiving at least a part of the name of a capsule toy desired by the user as a search condition transmitted from the user's terminal; an inventory information acquisition means for acquiring inventory information relating to capsule toy dispensing devices that match the search condition; and a simplified inventory information transmission means for generating simplified inventory information, which is different from detailed inventory information presented as inventory information to the terminal of the administrator who manages the capsule toy dispensing devices, using the acquired inventory information, and transmitting it to the user's terminal.

[0007] One aspect of the present invention is an inventory information provision method that manages inventory information of capsule toy dispensing devices installed in stores and capable of detecting the provision of capsule toys, accepts at least a part of the name of the capsule toy desired by the user as a search condition, obtains inventory information for capsule toy dispensing devices that match the search condition, generates simplified inventory information which is different from the detailed inventory information presented as inventory information on the terminal of the administrator who manages the capsule toy dispensing devices, and presents it to the user's terminal.

[0008] One aspect of the present invention is an inventory information provision system comprising: a user's terminal; a capsule toy dispensing device installed in a store and capable of detecting the provision of capsule toys; and an inventory information provision device equipped with an inventory information management means for managing inventory information of the capsule toy dispensing device, wherein the inventory information provision device comprises: a search condition receiving means that receives at least a part of the name of a capsule toy desired by the user transmitted from the user's terminal as a search condition; an inventory information acquisition means that acquires inventory information relating to a capsule toy dispensing device that matches the search condition from the inventory information management means; a simplified inventory information generation means that uses the acquired inventory information to generate simplified inventory information different from detailed inventory information presented as inventory information to the terminal of an administrator who manages the capsule toy dispensing device; and a simplified inventory information transmission means that transmits the generated simplified inventory information to the user's terminal. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to this invention, it becomes possible to present information that matches the user's search objectives. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0010] [Figure 1] Figure 1 shows an example of the overall configuration of the management system in this embodiment. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the equipment being provided. [Figure 3] Figure 3 is a block diagram showing an example of an administrator terminal. [Figure 4] Figure 4 is a block diagram showing an example of a management server. [Figure 5] Figure 5 shows an example of information about an item dispensing device. [Figure 6] Figure 6 is an example illustrating a display image. [Figure 7] Figure 7 shows an example of administrator information. [Figure 8] Figure 8 shows an example of a chart format. [Figure 9] Figure 9 shows an example of a layout format. [Figure 10] Figure 10 shows an example of a chart format. [Figure 11] Figure 11 shows an example of an object format. [Figure 12] Figure 12 is a sequence diagram illustrating the operation. [Figure 13] Figure 13 is a flowchart of the update process. [Figure 14] Figure 14 is a flowchart of the first presentation process. [Figure 15] Figure 15 shows an example of a table format. [Figure 16] Figure 16 is a flowchart of the second presentation process. [Figure 17] Figure 17 shows an example of a search screen. [Figure 18] Figure 18 shows an example of sales information. [Figure 19] Figure 19 shows an example of a heatmap format. [Figure 20] Figure 20 is an example of a heat map format. [Figure 21] Figure 21 is an example shown in a graph. [Figure 22] Figure 22 is an example of settlement information. [Figure 23] Figure 23 is an example of the information of the providing device according to the third embodiment. [Figure 24] Figure 24 is an example of a chart format.

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0011] [First Embodiment] [Overview of the System] The first embodiment of the present invention will be described.

[0012] Figure 1 is a diagram showing an overall configuration example of a management system 1 in the present invention. The management system 1 includes a providing device 100, an administrator terminal 200, a management server 300, and a user terminal 400. The providing device 100 and the management server 300 can be connected via a communication line N. Similarly, the administrator terminal 200 and the management server 300 can be connected via the communication line N. The user terminal 400 and the management server 300 can be connected via the communication line N. The communication line N means a communication path capable of data communication. That is, the communication line N includes not only a dedicated line (dedicated cable) for direct connection and a LAN such as Ethernet (registered trademark), but also communication networks such as a telephone communication network, a cable network, and the Internet, and the communication method may be wired / wireless.

[0013] [Providing Device 100] The providing device 100 is a device that discharges and sells (provides) articles represented by capsule toys, trading cards, etc. The capsule toy has an article contained in a spherical capsule. Recently, there are also articles that are discharged in the form of a sphere by themselves and can be assembled. In the present invention, the shape of the article and the capsule to be provided is not limited, and any shape may be used.

[0014] The distribution device 100 is installed and managed at the sales location by the administrator described later. The sales location is, for example, a shopping mall, a train station, or a store. The distribution device 100 is not limited to one location, but may be installed in multiple locations. At least one distribution device 100 is installed at each sales location. Each distribution device 100 is assigned a distribution device ID that uniquely identifies the distribution device.

[0015] Figure 2 shows an example configuration where administrator X installs three dispensing devices 100 (A1-A3) at sales location A, and administrator Y installs two dispensing devices 100 (B1-B2) at sales location B. As shown in Figure 2, each dispensing device 100 includes a detection unit 101 for detecting the discharge of goods and a transmission unit 102.

[0016] The detection unit 101 detects when the dispensing device 100 dispenses an item and generates dispensing information. The dispensing information includes the dispensing device ID, the number of items dispensed (number sold), and the date and time of transmission of the dispensing information. The number of items dispensed is the number of items dispensed by the dispensing device 100. Methods for the detection unit 101 to detect the dispensing of an item include detecting the operation of an operating unit operated by the user when the item is dispensed, or detecting the passage of an item through a dispensing opening using an infrared sensor, etc. Any of these methods, or any other method, may be used. When the detection unit 101 meets predetermined transmission conditions, it generates dispensing information and transmits it via the transmission unit 102. The predetermined conditions are: When the detection unit 101 detects the provision of goods When the count of item provision detected by the detection unit 101 reaches a predetermined number When a predetermined time has elapsed When a request to transmit information is received from the aggregation device 103, which will be described later. These are some examples. The specified conditions may be a combination of these, or other conditions. The transmission unit 102 transmits the information generated by the detection unit 101 to the aggregation device 103.

[0017] A data aggregation device 103 is installed at each sales location. The data aggregation device 103 receives the provided information transmitted from the transmission unit 102 of each providing device 100, and transmits it to the management server 300 when predetermined conditions are met. The predetermined conditions are: When information is received from the providing device 100 When a predetermined number of information items are received from the providing device 100 When a predetermined time has elapsed When a request to send information is received from the management server 300. These are some examples. The specified conditions may be a combination of these, or other conditions.

[0018] <Administrator terminal 200> The administrator terminal 200 is a terminal operated by the administrator of the supply device 100. The administrator is described below. The administrator is a company that installs the supply device 100 at the sales location, manages the supply device 100, or manages the sale of goods provided by the supply device 100, and is a manufacturer or sales agent (vendor), etc. A manufacturer is a company that manufactures goods. A sales agent is a company that purchases and sells goods manufactured by a manufacturer.

[0019] The administrator terminal 200 is specifically a smartphone, mobile phone, personal computer, or tablet device. The administrator terminal 200 displays information provided by the management server 300 on its screen, for example, using a web browser. There are basically multiple administrator terminals 200. The following explanation will use a configuration where the administrator terminal 200 is a personal computer. As shown in Figure 3, the administrator terminal 200 includes a processing control unit 210, an input unit 220, an image display unit 230, a communication unit 240, and a storage unit 250.

[0020] The processing control unit 210 comprehensively controls the operation of the administrator terminal 200 based on programs and data stored in the memory unit 250, operation input signals from the operation input unit 220, etc. The functions of the processing control unit 210 are realized by electronic components such as a microprocessor such as a CPU or GPU, an ASIC, and an IC memory.

[0021] The processing control unit 210 converts HTML and other data obtained from the management server 300 into an interactive document using the web browser's layout engine and displays it. If plugins supporting Flash applications or Java applets are available, the processing control unit 210 can display and execute them. The processing control unit 210 also performs communication connections and data processing for data communication with the management server 300 and other devices via the communication unit 240.

[0022] The input unit 220 is for inputting various user operations and outputs an operation input signal corresponding to the operation input to the processing control unit 210. In a personal computer, the input unit 220 can be implemented by a keyboard, mouse, touch panel, etc. In tablet devices, smartphones, and mobile phones, it can be implemented by elements that the user directly operates with their fingers, such as touch pads, home buttons, button switches, joysticks, and trackballs, as well as elements that detect movement and posture, such as acceleration sensors, angular velocity sensors, tilt sensors, and geomagnetic sensors.

[0023] The image display unit 230 displays an image based on the image signal input from the processing control unit 210. The image display unit 230 is, for example, a display device such as a flat panel display, a cathode ray tube (CRT), a projector, or a head-mounted display.

[0024] The communication unit 240 connects to the communication line N to enable communication. The functions of the communication unit 240 can be realized by, for example, a wireless communication device, a modem, a TA (terminal adapter), a jack for a wired communication cable, a control circuit, etc.

[0025] The memory unit 250 stores in advance or temporarily stores each time processing is performed programs for operating the administrator terminal 200 and realizing the various functions that the administrator terminal 200 has, as well as data used during the execution of these programs. The memory unit 250 can be realized by, for example, an IC memory such as RAM, ROM, or flash memory, a magnetic disk such as a hard disk, or an optical disk such as a CD-ROM or DVD. Specifically, the memory unit 250 stores a system program and a control program that controls processing such as the browser. The system program is a program for realizing the basic functions of terminal 2 as a computer. The control program is a program for making the processing control unit 210 function as a browser control unit.

[0026] <Management Server 300> The management server 300 is a server provided by the administrator who manages the goods supply device 100. The management server 300 is a server located on a network, and also includes virtual servers configured on a cloud-type platform. As shown in Figure 4, the management server 300 has a storage unit 310, a processing control unit 320, and a communication unit 330.

[0027] The storage unit 310 stores system programs, which are programs that enable the management server 300 to perform basic computer functions. Furthermore, the storage unit 310 also stores data for the item supply device database, administrator information, and screen format.

[0028] The goods supply device database stores information about goods supply devices. This information includes both goods information and information about the supply device.

[0029] As shown in Figure 5, item information consists of an item ID, item name, item description, and price, all linked together to form one record. The item ID is identification information for uniquely identifying the item provided by the dispensing device 100. The item name is the name of the item. The item description consists of at least one of text information and a display image. The text information is a description of the item, explaining its features, how to assemble it, how to play with it, etc. The display image is an image actually attached to or displayed on the dispensing device 100. As shown in Figure 6, the display image includes at least one of the following information: item name, price, item description, and item image. The item name, price, and item description may be the same as the information in the item description text information. The item image is, for example, an image of all types of items that the dispensing device 100 randomly provides. If the item is an assembly type, the item image includes an image before assembly and an image after assembly. The price is the selling price of the item.

[0030] As shown in Figure 5, the provided device information is structured so that the provided device ID, item ID, store name, sales location name, sales location address, and inventory information are all linked together to form one record. The provided device ID is identification information that uniquely identifies the provided device 100, and is, for example, attached to or engraved on the provided device 100. The item ID is identification information that uniquely identifies the item provided by the provided device 100, and is similar to the item ID in the item information described above. The store name is the name of the store where the provided device 100 is installed. The sales location name is the name of the facility in which the store is located, such as the name of a shopping mall. The sales location address is the address of the location where the provided device 100 is installed. The inventory information is the number of items in stock within the provided device 100. The store name, sales location name, and sales location address are collectively referred to as sales location information.

[0031] As shown in Figure 7, administrator information is stored with the administrator ID associated with the device ID of the device 100 managed by the administrator. The administrator ID is identification information that uniquely identifies the administrator. The device ID is identification information that uniquely identifies the device 100, and is the same as the device ID in the device information described above.

[0032] The screen format data is a format that defines the display format to be shown on the display screens of the administrator terminal 200 and the user terminal 400. For example, the display screen of the administrator terminal 200 is provided with screen formats such as a login screen, menu screen, search screen, and information display screen. The display screen of the user terminal 400 is also provided with screen formats such as a menu screen, search screen, and information display screen.

[0033] The processing control unit 320 comprehensively controls the operation of the management server 300 based on the program stored in the storage unit 310. The processing control unit 320 includes a data update unit 321, a first information acquisition unit 322, a second information acquisition unit 323, a management information presentation unit 324, and a user-side information presentation unit 325.

[0034] The data update unit 321 searches the supply device information for a supply device ID that matches the supply device ID included in the supply information transmitted from the aggregation device 103, and reduces the number of inventory information items associated with the searched supply device ID by the number of items supplied in the supply information. In addition, when items are replenished in the supply device 100 by the administrator, the data update unit 321 increases the inventory count by the number of replenished items.

[0035] The first information acquisition unit 322 acquires information on item provisioning devices that match the search conditions entered (specified) by the administrator using the administrator terminal 200 from the item provisioning device database. Here, the search scope of the first information acquisition unit 322 is the information on item provisioning devices 100 managed by the administrator. This is to prevent information leakage and to avoid displaying information on item provisioning devices 100 managed by other administrators. In other words, the information on item provisioning devices 100 that is the search scope of the first information acquisition unit 322 can only be viewed by administrators with viewing privileges, and can therefore be rephrased as the information on item provisioning devices 100 that require viewing privileges.

[0036] The first information acquisition unit 322 acquires information about the item dispensing device that includes the entered search conditions from the item dispensing device database. If multiple search conditions are entered, it acquires information about the item dispensing device that includes all of the search conditions from the item dispensing device database. For example, if an administrator wants to know the inventory information of the supply device 100 installed at a sales location, the search criteria will include the store name, the name of the sales location, or the address of the sales location information. In this case, the first information acquisition unit 322 acquires the supply device information of a record that includes the store name, the name of the sales location, or the address of the sales location information. Furthermore, if the user wants to know the inventory information for a specific item, the item name, such as "pouch," "keychain," or "character name," is entered as a search criterion. The first information acquisition unit 322 acquires item information for records containing the search criterion from the item supply device database, and acquires supply device information for records containing the same item ID as the item ID in the acquired record's item information.

[0037] The second information acquisition unit 323 acquires information on item-providing devices that match the search conditions entered (specified) by the user using the user terminal 400 from the item-providing device database. Here, the second information acquisition unit 323 acquires information on item-providing devices 100 that do not require viewing privileges. The item-providing device information of item-providing devices 100 that do not require viewing privileges is information on item-providing devices that can be viewed by users regardless of whether they have viewing privileges, that is, information that all users can view. Furthermore, the item-providing device information of item-providing devices 100 that do not require viewing privileges is information on item-providing devices for which an item-providing device ID exists in the item-providing device information. An item-providing device 100 with zero inventory will be available for sale to users once the items are replenished, so the item-providing device ID of that item-providing device 100 will remain in the item-providing device information and will not be deleted. On the other hand, an item-providing device 100 that has been removed from the sales location or has broken down cannot provide items to users, so the item-providing device ID of that item-providing device 100 is deleted from the item-providing device information. Therefore, in this embodiment, a supplying device capable of selling goods to users refers to a supplying device in which a supplying device ID exists in the supplying device information.

[0038] The second information acquisition unit 323 acquires the item dispensing device information of records that include the entered search conditions. If multiple search conditions are entered, it acquires the item dispensing device information of records that include all of the search conditions. For example, if a user wants to know what items are available at a place they plan to visit, the search criteria will include part of the store name, the name of the sales location, or the address from the sales location information. In this case, the second information acquisition unit 323 acquires the sales location information of records containing either the store name, the name of the sales location, or the address from the sales location information, and acquires the item information from the item information of records containing the same item ID as the item ID in the sales location information of the acquired records. Furthermore, if a user wants to know where to buy a desired item, at least part of the name of the desired item, such as "pouch," "keychain," or "character name," is entered as a search criterion. The second information acquisition unit 323 acquires item information for records containing the search criterion from the item supply device database, and acquires supply device information for records containing the same item ID as the item ID in the acquired record's item information. The second information acquisition unit 323 may acquire information on all items of records that match the search criteria, or it may acquire only the necessary items of records that match the search criteria to be presented to the user. However, the acquired information on the equipment to be provided must include at least inventory information.

[0039] The management-side information display unit 324 displays the login screen, menu screen, search screen, and information display screen to the administrator terminal 200 according to the screen format. The management-side information display unit 324 displays the item supply device information acquired by the first information acquisition unit 322 to the administrator terminal 200 according to the information display screen format. The item supply device information displayed by the management-side information display unit 324 is information that includes predetermined items, including inventory information, from the item supply device information acquired by the first information acquisition unit 322. Here, the inventory information is presented in detailed information (hereinafter referred to as detailed information) for the administrator. This is because the item supply device information is presented to the administrator, and the administrator needs detailed information for managing inventory levels. Here, detailed information is required to be, for example, the current inventory level or daily inventory level in specific numerical values, or information with a level of accuracy deemed necessary for management.

[0040] Furthermore, there are two selectable formats for presenting information about the equipment supplying to the administrator. The first format presents the information on the supplying equipment in a chart format. The chart format displays the necessary items of the information on the supplying equipment using diagrams, tables, and graphs. For example, if an administrator enters "Sales Location A" as the sales location information in the search criteria and requests inventory information, a table in which the supplying equipment ID and inventory information are combined into a single record will be presented associated with the sales location information "Sales Location A," as shown in Figure 8. The second format presents the information of the goods supplying devices in a layout format. The layout format arranges the information of the necessary items for each goods supplying device 100 in accordance with the layout of the supplying devices 100 installed at the sales site. For example, when an administrator enters "Sales Site A" as the sales site information in the search criteria and requests inventory information, as shown in Figure 9, the inventory information is superimposed on the object image of each supplying device 100 corresponding to the layout of the supplying devices 100 installed at the sales site, and is presented in association with the sales site information "Sales Site A". The inventory information may also be placed near the object image.

[0041] The user-side information display unit 325 displays menu screens, search screens, and information display screens to the user terminal 400 according to the screen format. The user-side information display unit 325 displays the item supply device information acquired by the second information acquisition unit 323 according to the screen format of the information display screen. Here, the user-side information display unit 325 converts the inventory information into simplified information, which is different from the detailed information presented to the administrator as described above, that is, simplified information with lower accuracy than the detailed information, and presents it. The type of simplified information does not matter as long as it is less accurate than the detailed information, but for example, there is an inventory level set according to the number of items in stock. For example, if the number of items in stock is 11 or more, it displays "In Stock", if the number of items in stock is between 1 and 10, it displays "Limited Stock", and if the number of items in stock is "0", it displays "Out of Stock". In addition, the inventory level may be displayed using symbols such as a circle (In Stock), a triangle (Limited Stock), or an X (Out of Stock), or using object images that allow for intuitive recognition of whether an item is in stock, limited stock, or out of stock. However, as mentioned above, this is conditional on the accuracy of the inventory information provided being lower than the detailed information provided to the administrator.

[0042] There are two formats for presenting information about the equipment used for providing goods on the information screen shown to the user. The first format presents information about the supplying equipment in a chart format. The chart format displays the necessary items of the information about the supplying equipment using diagrams, tables, and graphs. For example, if a user enters information about an item, "cafe set," as a search criterion and requests information about the sales locations that offer this item, a table containing the store name, sales location address, and inventory level information in a single record will be presented associated with the item information "cafe set 1," as shown in Figure 10. The second format presents product dispensing device information in object format. In this object format, the display image and inventory level information are displayed as a single object image for each dispensing device 100 installed at the sales location. For example, if a user enters store information "Tokyo Shop 1" as a search criterion, the store information is presented as an object with the display image positioned below the inventory level information "〇," as shown in Figure 11. Note that the price information for the item may also be included in a single object image.

[0043] <User terminal 400> The user terminal 400 is a user terminal operated by the user. The user is a purchaser who wishes to receive goods from the supply device 100. Since the user does not have viewing privileges, they cannot view the supply device information of the supply device 100, which they do have viewing privileges for. The user terminal 400 can be, for example, a smartphone, a mobile phone, a personal computer, or a tablet device. There are basically multiple user terminals 400. In the following explanation, we will use a configuration where the user terminal 400 is a smartphone.

[0044] The user terminal 400 comprises a processing control unit 410, an input unit 420, an image display unit 430, a communication unit 440, and a storage unit 450. Since the components of the processing control unit 410, input unit 420, image display unit 430, communication unit 440, and storage unit 450 are the same as those of the processing control unit 210, input unit 220, image display unit 230, communication unit 240, and storage unit 250 of the administrator terminal 200, a detailed explanation is omitted.

[0045] [Operation] Figure 12 is a sequence diagram of the operation of the management system 1 in this embodiment. The operation of the management system 1 will be explained using Figure 2. For the sake of simplicity, the explanation will be based on the example where the detection unit 101 generates and transmits provision information each time it detects the provision of one item, and the aggregation device 103 forwards the provision information to the management server 300 each time it receives the provision information from the provision device 100.

[0046] <Update process> The detection unit 101 generates provision information when it detects the provision of an item by the provisioning device 100 (step S1). The transmission unit 102 transmits the provision information generated by the detection unit 101 to the management server 300 via the aggregation device 103 (step S2). The data update unit 321 updates the inventory information of the provisioning device information when it receives the provision information (step S3).

[0047] <First presentation process> The administrator authenticates by entering the administrator ID and password on the login screen displayed on the administrator terminal 200 (Step S4). The administrator selects either the management screen or the replenishment screen from the menu screen displayed on the administrator terminal 200 (Step S5). When the management screen is selected, the administrator enters the search criteria into the search screen displayed on the administrator terminal 200 (step S6). The first information acquisition unit 322 acquires information about the providing device 100 that matches the entered search conditions (step S7). The administrator information display unit 324 displays the item supply device information acquired by the first information acquisition unit 322 to the administrator terminal 200 (step S8). At this time, the item supply device information is displayed in chart format, and the inventory information is displayed as the inventory quantity. When the replenishment screen is selected, the administrator enters information about the sales location into the search screen displayed on the administrator terminal 200 (step S9). The first information acquisition unit 322 acquires information about the providing device 100 that matches the entered search conditions (step S10). The administrator-side information display unit 324 displays the supply device information acquired by the second information acquisition unit 323 to the administrator terminal 200 (step S11). The item supply device information is displayed in layout format, and the inventory information is displayed as the inventory quantity.

[0048] <Second presentation process> The user enters the search criteria into the search screen displayed on the user terminal 400 (step S12). The second information acquisition unit 323 of the management server 300 acquires information from the providing device 100 that matches the search criteria (step S13). The user-side information display unit 325 displays the item supply device information acquired by the second information acquisition unit 323 to the user terminal 400 (step S14). At this time, the inventory information of the supply device is displayed at the inventory level.

[0049] Next, we will explain each of the above processes in detail. First, the update process will be explained using the flowchart in Figure 13. In the following explanation, the provisioning device 100 will be described using an example configuration in which provisioning devices 100 (A1-A3) and aggregation device 103A are installed at sales location A, as shown in Figure 3, and provisioning devices 100 (B1-B2) and aggregation device 103B are installed at sales location B. Furthermore, the explanation will use the case where the item provisioning device 100 transmits provisioning information each time it detects the provision of an item, and the aggregation device 103 forwards the received provisioning information directly to the management server 300. In addition, the provisioning information will be described using the provisioning information shown in Figure 5.

[0050] When the detection unit 101 detects the provision of goods in the provisioning device 100 "A1" installed at sales location A, the detection unit 101 generates provisioning information including the provisioning device ID "A1" and the quantity provided "1" (S100). The transmission unit 102 transmits this information to the management server 300 via the aggregation device 103A (S101).

[0051] When the data update unit 321 receives information provided by the aggregation device 103A via the communication unit 330, it searches for the providing device ID "A1" included in the provided information in the item inventory data, subtracts the number of sales "1" from the inventory number "10" associated with providing device ID "A1", and updates the inventory number to "9" (S102). The management server 300 performs the above operations for all supply devices and updates the inventory information of the supply devices.

[0052] Next, the first presentation process will be explained using the flowchart in Figure 14. The following explanation will use an example where the provided device information is presented to the administrator terminal 200 of administrator X. The explanation will also use the item information and provided device information in Figure 5 and the administrator information in Figure 6. Here, the explanation will use the case where the provided device ID, store name, name of sales location, address of sales location, and inventory information of the item provided device information are presented as a management screen on the administrator terminal 200 of administrator X, and the display image of the item provided device information and the inventory information are presented as a replenishment screen.

[0053] Administrator X accesses the management server 300 using administrator terminal 200 and authenticates by entering administrator ID "A" and password on the login screen (S200).

[0054] Administrator X selects either the administration screen or the replenishment screen from the menu screen displayed after authentication (S201). Let's assume the administration screen is selected. Administrator X enters search criteria on the search screen (S202). Let's assume that "cafe set" is entered.

[0055] The first information acquisition unit 322 searches the administrator information for the administrator ID entered when the administrator terminal 200 logs in, and sets the search scope to the provided device information of the associated provided device ID (S203). In this case, the search scope is set to the provided device information of provided device IDs "A1" to "A4" associated with administrator ID "A".

[0056] The first information acquisition unit 322 acquires item information of records that include the search criteria (S204). In the item information shown in Figure 5, the first information acquisition unit 322 acquires the record with the item name "Cafe Set 1".

[0057] The first information acquisition unit 322 acquires a record from the supply device information that includes both the supply device ID acquired in S203 and the item ID of the record acquired in S204 (S205). In the example of supply device information shown in Figure 5, the first information acquisition unit 322 acquires the supply device information of records with supply device IDs "A1" to "A4" that include the item ID "CF1" acquired in S204, from among the records of the supply device information that include the search target range of supply device IDs "A1" to "A4" acquired in S203.

[0058] The management-side information presentation unit 324 presents the item supply device information acquired by the first information acquisition unit 323 in chart format (S206). Figure 15 shows an example of presentation in table format. Figure 15 is an example of presenting a table in association with the item name "Cafe Set 1", with each record containing the supply device ID, store name, name of sales location, address of sales location, and inventory quantity.

[0059] Let's assume that the replenishment screen is selected in S201. Administrator X enters sales location information on the search screen (S207). Let's assume that "Sales Location A" is entered here. The first information acquisition unit 322 acquires the input sales location's goods supply device information (S208). Here, the first information acquisition unit 322 acquires the display image and inventory information for "Sales Location A".

[0060] The management-side information presentation unit 324 presents the information on the item dispensing device acquired by the first information acquisition unit 323 in a layout format (S209). Figure 9 shows an example of the layout format presentation. As shown in Figure 9, the management-side information presentation unit 324 superimposes a display image corresponding to the layout of the item dispensing device installed at the sales location with inventory information and presents it in association with the sales location information "Sales Location A".

[0061] Next, the second presentation process will be explained using the flowchart in Figure 16. The user accesses the management server 300 using the user terminal 400 and enters search criteria on the search screen (S301). The search screen displayed on the user terminal 400 at this time is shown in Figure 17. In the example shown in Figure 17, the user can search using either information about the item or information about the place of sale. Here, it is assumed that "pouch" is entered in order to search using information about the item.

[0062] The second information acquisition unit 323 acquires item information for records that include the entered search criteria (S302). In the example of item information in Figure 5, the second information acquisition unit 323 acquires item information for records that include "pouch 1" in the item name field.

[0063] The second information acquisition unit 323 acquires the supply device information for the record with the same item ID as the item ID included in the acquired item information record (S303). In the example in Figure 5, the second information acquisition unit 323 acquires the supply device information for the record with item ID "PC1" which includes the item name "pouch", the store name "Tokyo Shop 2", the sales location address "A Ward, Tokyo", and inventory information "11", and the supply device information which includes the store name "Tokyo Shop 3", the sales location address "B Ward, Tokyo", and inventory information "4".

[0064] The user-side information presentation unit 325 determines the inventory level information based on the inventory information acquired by the second information acquisition unit 323 (S304). In the example in Figure 5, the user-side information presentation unit 325 determines the inventory level information to be "circle" based on the inventory information "11" in the provided device information of the record containing the provided device ID "A2". The user-side information presentation unit 325 determines the inventory level information to be "triangle" based on the inventory quantity "4" in the provided device information of the record containing the provided device ID "B1".

[0065] The user-side information presentation unit 325 presents the item supply device information read by the second information acquisition unit 323 to the user terminal 400 in chart format (S305). Figure 10 shows an example of presentation in chart (table) format. As shown in Figure 10, the user-side information presentation unit 325 presents a table in association with the item name "Cafe Set 1", with the store name "Tokyo Shop 2", address "Tokyo A Ward", and inventory level information "Circle" as one record, and further with the store name "Tokyo Shop 3", address "Tokyo B Ward", and inventory level information "Triangle" as another record.

[0066] On the other hand, when information regarding the sales location is entered on the search screen, the second information acquisition unit 323 acquires the information of the record containing the search information entered by the user (S306). In the example in Figure 5, assuming that "Tokyo Shop 1" is entered, the second information acquisition unit 323 acquires the information of the record containing "Tokyo Shop 1", the sales location address "Tokyo A Ward", item ID "CF1" and inventory quantity "10", the record containing item ID "PC1" and inventory quantity "11", and the record containing item ID "KR1" and inventory quantity "0".

[0067] The second information acquisition unit 323 acquires the display image of the record with the same item ID as the item ID in the provided device information of the acquired record (S307). In the example in Figure 5, the second information acquisition unit 323 acquires "Image 1", "Image 2", and "Image 3" for the records with item IDs "CF1", "PC1", and "KR1", respectively.

[0068] The user-side display unit 325 determines the inventory level information to display according to the inventory quantity acquired by the second information acquisition unit 323 in S306 (S308). Here, the user-side display unit 325 decides to display a circle symbol indicating that there is inventory for an inventory quantity of "10", a circle symbol indicating that there is inventory for an inventory quantity of "11", and an X symbol indicating that there is no inventory for an inventory quantity of "0".

[0069] The user-side information display unit 325 generates an object image from the display image acquired by the second information acquisition unit 323 in S307 and the inventory level information determined by the user-side information display unit 325, and associates the object image with the store name and sales location address acquired by the second information acquisition unit 323 to present the goods supply device information to the user terminal 400 in object format (S309). Figure 11 shows an example of presenting goods supply device information in object format. As shown in Figure 11, the user-side information display unit 325 places and presents the object image generated from the inventory level information and the display image below the store name "Tokyo Shop 1" and the address "A Ward, Tokyo".

[0070] According to the above embodiment, inventory information is presented numerically to the administrator terminal 200 and at the inventory level to the user terminal 400, making it possible to present highly convenient information tailored to the user's role. Furthermore, since authentication is not performed on the user terminal 400, users can easily search for information about the provided devices and items. On the other hand, since authentication is performed on the administrator terminal 200, there is no concern that information that should not be known to users, such as inventory levels, will be leaked.

[0071] Furthermore, since the display image actually attached to or displayed on the supplying device 100 is presented to the user terminal 400, the user can easily find the supplying device 100 that provides the desired item by visualizing that display image when they go to the sales location.

[0072] In the above embodiment, a configuration with an aggregation device 103 was described, but it is also possible to have a configuration in which the transmission unit 102 transmits the provided information without an aggregation device 103. However, it is preferable to transmit the provided information via the aggregation device 103 as an intermediary to send it to the management server 300. Generally, in order to not restrict the installation location of the providing device 100, it is desirable that the providing device 100 be configured to operate with low power consumption, such as batteries, without requiring a power supply. However, in the case of a low-power operation configuration, the transmission distance that the transmission unit 102 can transmit is limited, making it impossible to transmit directly to the management server 300. For this reason, it is preferable to transmit via the aggregation device 103 as an intermediary.

[0073] Furthermore, although the explanation described an example where multiple items of item information and provided device information are displayed on the administrator terminal 200, it is also possible to have a configuration where only the inventory information of the item and provided device information is displayed in a table. Figure 8 shows an example of a screen displayed in such a configuration.

[0074] Furthermore, although the above embodiment explains that an administrator cannot display the information of a provided device 100 managed by another administrator, an administrator who manages vendors, such as a manufacturer, may be granted access to view the information of all provided devices 100. In such cases, access permission information is provided in the administrator information, and access permission is set for each administrator or according to the administrator privileges granted to the administrator. Specifically, the first information acquisition unit 322 checks the provided devices 100 to be searched, which are pre-configured according to the access permission associated with the administrator ID entered when logging into the administrator terminal 200, and acquires the information of the provided devices 100 to be searched.

[0075] [Second Embodiment] This embodiment describes the case where sales information is displayed on the management screen. Note that components similar to those in the above embodiment are given the same numbers, and detailed explanations are omitted. The second embodiment includes a sales information database for presenting sales information. The sales information database is stored in the storage unit 340. Figure 18 shows an example of a sales information database in this embodiment. The sales information for each providing device ID in the sales information database is information that associates the sales date, the number of items sold on that sales date, and the sales amount for that sales date with each other.

[0076] The data update unit 321 receives provision information from the aggregation device 103, including the provision device ID, the number of items provided (number of items sold), and the transmission date and time. The data update unit 321 retrieves sales information for the provision device ID included in the provision information from the sales information database. The data update unit 321 adds the number of items sold included in the provision information to the number of items sold on the sales day corresponding to the transmission date and time included in the provision information from the retrieved sales information. When the sales number is updated, the data update unit 321 calculates the sales amount corresponding to the updated sales number and updates the sales amount for that sales day.

[0077] Administrators at Level 1 can select to display the sales screen on the administration panel. On the sales screen, administrators enter search criteria. The search criteria must include at least the sales period. In addition to the sales period, they may also include either item information or provided equipment information. Furthermore, administrators may be able to select whether to display at least one of the sales quantity or sales amount. The first information acquisition unit 322 acquires at least one of the sales quantity and sales amount of the supplying device 100 that matches the search criteria from the sales information. The management-side information display unit 324 displays at least one of the sales figures and sales amount for the sales period acquired by the first information acquisition unit 322 in chart format.

[0078] An example of a chart format is to present the sales volume and sales amount for each provided device in a table in chronological order over a predetermined unit period (e.g., daily, monthly, or yearly). In this case, it is preferable to present the data in a heatmap format that highlights (shows in a different form) the differences in sales volume or sales amount compared to other provided devices. For highlighting, any of the following display methods are acceptable: changing the color, making the text bold, coloring the field, or any other display method. Furthermore, multiple display methods may be combined for highlighting. Figure 19 shows an example of displaying sales figures in a heatmap format. In the example shown in Figure 19, sales figures exceeding 2000 yen are highlighted in bold. Figure 20 shows an example of displaying sales figures using a heatmap. In the example shown in Figure 20, fields with sales figures exceeding 5 are highlighted with shading. Alternatively, sales figures and sales amounts for each day, month, or year may be presented in a time-series bar or line graph. Figure 21 is an example of presenting sales figures as a line graph.

[0079] According to this embodiment, since the number of sales or sales amount is presented in chart format, managers can easily understand the sales trends at a glance. In the above explanation, examples are provided for each dispensing device that provides the same item, but it may also be provided for each dispensing device 100 installed at the same sales location, i.e., for each item.

[0080] [Third Embodiment] The above embodiment describes an example in which no administrator levels are set to restrict the scope of information that each administrator can view. However, it is also possible to set multiple administrator levels for each administrator and restrict the scope of information that each administrator can view. Therefore, this embodiment describes a configuration in which multiple administrator levels are set for each administrator, and the content of the information presented and the format of the information presented differ depending on the administrator level assigned.

[0081] In addition to the administrator information stored in the memory unit 310 as described above, administrator level information is also stored in association with the administrator ID.

[0082] Administrators are assigned administrator levels based on their assigned duties. In this embodiment, the explanation will use the case where there are first and second administrator levels, but this is not limited to that. A first-level administrator is, for example, an administrator who manages vendors, such as a manufacturer. First-level administrators can view both the management screen and the replenishment screen. A second-level administrator is, for example, a vendor. Second-level administrators can only view the replenishment screen.

[0083] The administrator accesses the management server 3 using the administrator terminal 200, as in the embodiment described above, and authenticates by entering the administrator ID and password on the login screen. The administrator information display unit 324 checks the administrator level associated with the administrator ID entered during login. If the administrator level is Level 1, the administrator information display unit 324 displays a menu screen that allows the user to select whether to transition to the administration screen or the supplementary screen. On the other hand, if the administrator level is Level 2, the administrator information display unit 324 displays the supplementary screen.

[0084] On the management screen, as described in the first embodiment, the administrator enters search criteria, and the item dispensing device information of the dispensing device 100 that matches the search criteria is presented in chart format.

[0085] On the replenishment screen, as described in the first embodiment, the administrator enters search criteria, and the item dispensing device information of the dispensing device 100 that matches the search criteria is presented in a layout format.

[0086] At the sales site, the following tasks are performed by the manager: "replenishment," "product replacement," "installation," and "removal." Replenishment is the task of replenishing goods in the dispensing device 100. Product replacement is the task of replacing the goods provided by the dispensing device 100. Installation is the task of installing a new dispensing device 100 at the sales site. Removal is the task of removing the dispensing device 100 that is installed at the sales site. The manager selects the "replenishment," "product replacement," "installation," and "removal" buttons on the replenishment screen according to the task and updates the dispensing device information and manager information. The data update unit 321 updates the dispensing device information and manager information based on the information entered by the manager on the replenishment screen.

[0087] In this embodiment, multiple administrator levels are provided for each administrator, and the content and format of the information presented differ depending on the assigned administrator level. As a result, the administrator terminal 200 used by administrators throughout the sales area displays information on the supply devices 100 installed at the sales area in the same layout as the supply devices themselves. Therefore, administrators (replenishment staff) at the sales area can easily identify the supply devices and understand their status, thereby increasing the efficiency of replenishment and other related tasks.

[0088] [Fourth Embodiment] In this embodiment, when the user-side information display unit 325 displays inventory level information as "low stock (very low stock)," an example is described in which the display is presented in a way that emphasizes the difference from other inventory level information so that the user can intuitively recognize that the stock will soon be out of stock. Note that the same numbers are used for components similar to those in the above embodiment, and detailed explanations are omitted.

[0089] The user-side information display unit 325 highlights the stock quantity of the item supply device information acquired by the second information acquisition unit 323 if it is a quantity that indicates "low stock." For highlighting, "low stock" may be displayed in a different color or bold font, such as red, compared to other stock level information, or a warning symbol or image may be displayed near the stock level information. By highlighting in this way, users can more easily understand the period during which they can receive the items.

[0090] Furthermore, the management-side information display unit 324 may also be configured, similar to the user-side information display unit 325, to display inventory information with highlighting when the inventory reaches a predetermined quantity. By displaying the information with highlighting in this way, managers can immediately know when it is time to replenish inventory, enabling them to provide goods without missing sales opportunities.

[0091] Furthermore, in the administrator terminal 200, if the data update unit 321 updates the inventory information and the number of items in the supply device 100 becomes 0, the administrator information display unit 324 may be configured to display information to the administrator terminal 200 indicating that the inventory of the supply device 100 is 0. The information indicating that the inventory is 0 may be any of the above-mentioned highlighting methods. By displaying information indicating that the inventory is 0 in this way, the administrator can immediately replenish the inventory.

[0092] [Fifth Embodiment] In the above embodiment, the user terminal 400 was presented with product information and sales location information, but the product dispensing device 100 may also be presented with information regarding possible payment methods. Figure 22 shows an example of payment information. The possible payment methods for each product dispensing device 100 are stored in association with the dispensing device ID.

[0093] In recent years, electronic money payments have been increasing. By including information on whether electronic money payments are accepted, administrators can provide goods without missing sales opportunities, and users can acquire goods without missing purchase opportunities. Although this explanation uses the example of a system where payment information is provided separately, it may also be included in the provided device information shown in Figure 5.

[0094] [Sixth Embodiment] This embodiment describes a configuration in which the information of the last replenishment date and time when items were replenished to the supplying device 100 is included in the supplying device information and displayed to the administrator terminal 200. Note that configurations similar to those in the above embodiment are given the same numbers, and detailed explanations are omitted. In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 23, the supply device information is the same as the supply device information described in the above embodiment, with the addition of an item for the last replenishment date and time.

[0095] After replenishing the goods to the goods dispensing device 100, the administrator specifies the dispensing device 100 that was replenished on the replenishment screen described in Embodiment 2 and enters the number of items replenished. The administrator terminal 200 generates replenishment information and sends it to the management server 300. The replenishment information includes at least the dispensing device ID, the number of items replenished, and the transmission date and time. The dispensing device ID is information that identifies the dispensing device 100 that was replenished. The number of items replenished is information that indicates the number of items replenished. The transmission date and time is the date and time when the administrator terminal 200 sent the replenishment information to the management server 300.

[0096] When the data update unit 322 receives replenishment information from the administrator terminal 200, it searches the equipment information for records containing the same equipment ID as the equipment ID included in the replenishment information. The data update unit 322 increases the inventory information of the records containing the searched equipment ID by the number of units to be replenished according to the received replenishment information. Furthermore, the data update unit 322 updates the final replenishment date and time information based on the transmission date and time of the received replenishment information. The example used to explain the final replenishment date and time information is updated based on the date and time the replenishment information was transmitted, but it may also be a date and time entered by the administrator.

[0097] The first information acquisition unit 323 acquires supply device information including the last replenishment date and time information. The management-side information presentation unit 324 presents the supply device information, which is presented in a chart format, including the last replenishment date and time information acquired by the first information acquisition unit. Figure 24 is an example of supply device information in chart format presented by the management-side information presentation unit 324 in this embodiment.

[0098] According to this embodiment, the manager can check the last replenishment date and time and the number of items in stock, and grasp the sales situation, such as the speed of sales.

[0099] Although the present invention has been described above with reference to preferred embodiments, it is not necessary to have the configurations of all embodiments, and they can be combined as appropriate. Furthermore, the present invention is not necessarily limited to the above embodiments, but can be modified and implemented in various ways within the scope of its technical concept.

[0100] Furthermore, some or all of the above embodiments may also be described as follows, but are not limited to these.

[0101] <Note 1> Information relating to an item dispensing device that matches the search criteria of the administrator who manages the item dispensing device that provides the items, including inventory information of the items provided by the item dispensing device, is obtained, and the item dispensing device information, which shows the inventory information of the item dispensing device in detail, is presented to the administrator's terminal. A method for managing goods, which involves obtaining information about goods dispensing devices that match the user's search criteria, including inventory information of goods provided by the goods dispensing devices, and presenting the goods dispensing device information, which shows the inventory information of the goods dispensing devices in a simplified format different from the detailed information, to the user's terminal.

[0102] <Note 2> The accuracy of the aforementioned detailed information is higher than the accuracy of the aforementioned simplified information. The method of managing items as described in Appendix 1.

[0103] <Note 3> The item provision device information that can be displayed on the administrator's terminal is the item provision device information of an item provision device that requires viewing privileges. The item provision device information that can be displayed on the user's terminal is item provision device information for an item provision device that does not require viewing privileges. The method of managing goods as described in Appendix 1 or Appendix 2.

[0104] <Note 4> The aforementioned detailed information or the aforementioned simplified information shall be provided for each sales location where the goods dispensing device is installed. The method of managing items as described in any of the appendices 1 to 3.

[0105] <Note 5> The detailed information regarding the inventory of the item supply device that can be displayed on the administrator's terminal is the inventory quantity. The simplified information, which can be displayed on the user's terminal as inventory information for the item supply device, is the inventory level. The method of managing items as described in any of the appendices from Appendix 1 to Appendix 4.

[0106] <Note 6> The system is controlled to allow selection of either a first presentation format in which the information on the item dispensing device is presented in a chart format, or a second presentation format in which the information on the item dispensing device is presented in a layout format corresponding to the layout of the item dispensing device at the sales location. The method of managing items as described in any of the appendices 1 through 5.

[0107] <Note 7> The selection of the first or second presentation format is possible depending on the administrator privileges granted to the administrator. The method of managing items as described in Appendix 6.

[0108] <Note 8> If the aforementioned inventory count is 0, or if the aforementioned inventory level indicates low or no inventory, the inventory information will be presented in a different format than the inventory information of items provided by other supply devices. The method of managing items as described in Appendix 7.

[0109] <Note 9> The information regarding the goods supplying device includes at least one of the following: sales location information indicating the sales location where the goods supplying device is installed, and goods information relating to the goods provided by the goods supplying device. The method of managing items as described in any of the appendices 1 through 8.

[0110] <Note 10> The aforementioned item information includes at least one of the item's name, item's price, and item's description. The method of managing items as described in Appendix 9.

[0111] <Note 11> The aforementioned explanatory information includes display images attached to or displayed on the goods dispensing device installed at the sales location. The method of managing items as described in Appendix 10.

[0112] <Note 12> The number of items provided by the item dispensing device during a predetermined unit period is used to aggregate the number of items sold and the sales amount of the item dispensing device during that predetermined unit period. The sales information is then presented in a predetermined display format, showing the number of items sold and the sales amount of the item dispensing device during that predetermined unit period in chronological order. The method of managing items as described in any of the appendices 1 through 11.

[0113] <Note 13> The sales information is arranged in a way that allows for comparison between the number of items sold and the sales amount for each item dispensing device installed in the same sales location during the predetermined unit period, or the number of items sold and the sales amount for each item dispensing device providing the same item during the predetermined unit period. The method of managing items as described in Appendix 12.

[0114] <Note 14> The number of items provided by the item dispensing device is used to update the database in which the inventory information of the item dispensing device is recorded. The method of managing items as described in any of the appendices 1 through 13.

[0115] <Note 15> Based on the sales information of each item dispensing device collected from each of the aforementioned item dispensing devices, the inventory information in the item dispensing device database is updated. The method of managing items as described in any of the appendices 1 through 14.

[0116] <Note 16> The item supply device database is updated, provided that items have been replenished in the item supply device. The method of managing items as described in Appendix 15.

[0117] <Note 17> The item supply device database is updated upon detection of the provision of items from the item supply device. The method of managing items as described in Appendix 16.

[0118] <Note 18> The detection of the provision of the item is the detection of the execution of an operation of the operation unit for providing the item, which is provided in the provisioning device. The method of managing items as described in Appendix 17.

[0119] <Note 19> The detection of the provision of the item is performed by a sensor installed in the item provisioning device. The method of managing items as described in Appendix 17.

[0120] <Note 20> The simplified information is presented in association with sales location information relating to the sales location where the product dispensing device is installed. The method of managing items as described in any of the appendices 1 through 19.

[0121] <Note 21> The inventory level information is presented using one of several different images and symbols. The method of managing items as described in any of the appendices 5 through 20.

[0122] <Note 22> The aforementioned simplified information or detailed information shall be presented for each sales location. The method of managing items as described in any of the appendices 1 through 21.

[0123] <Note 23> The aforementioned inventory level information is presented in association with the sales location information where the goods dispensing device is installed. The method of managing items as described in any of the appendices 1 through 22.

[0124] <Note 24> The system retrieves payment information corresponding to a particular item dispensing device from an item dispensing device database, which contains payment information indicating whether or not electronic money payment is possible for each item dispensing device, and presents it to the user's terminal. The method of managing items as described in any of the appendices 1 through 23.

[0125] <Note 25> A first acquisition means for acquiring information about an item dispensing device that matches the search criteria of an administrator who manages an item dispensing device that provides items, and which includes inventory information of items provided by the item dispensing device. A first presentation means that presents the acquired inventory information of the item-providing device information, which is shown in detail, to the administrator's terminal, A second acquisition means for acquiring information about an item dispensing device that matches the user's search criteria, including inventory information of the items provided by the item dispensing device. A second presentation means presents the acquired inventory information of the item-distributing device, which is presented to the user's terminal as simplified information different from the detailed information, to the user's terminal. A server.

[0126] <Note 23> Computers, A first acquisition means for acquiring information about an item dispensing device that matches the search criteria of an administrator who manages an item dispensing device that provides items, and which includes inventory information of items provided by the item dispensing device. A first presentation means that presents the acquired inventory information of the item-providing device information, which is shown in detail, to the administrator's terminal, A second acquisition means for acquiring information about an item dispensing device that matches the user's search criteria, including inventory information of the items provided by the item dispensing device. A second presentation means presents the acquired inventory information of the item-distributing device, which is presented to the user's terminal as simplified information different from the detailed information, to the user's terminal. A program that makes something work. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0127] 100 Providing equipment 200 Administrator terminals 300 Management Servers 321 Data Update Section 322 1st Information Acquisition Department 323 2nd Information Acquisition Department 324 Management side information presentation section 325 User-side information display section 400 user terminals

Claims

1. The user's device, A search condition receiving means that accepts at least part of the name of the capsule toy desired by the user as a search condition. Inventory information acquisition means for acquiring inventory information related to capsule toy dispensing devices that match the aforementioned search conditions, A presentation means that uses acquired inventory information to present simplified inventory information, which is different from the detailed inventory information presented as inventory information to the terminal of the administrator who manages the capsule toy dispensing device. A program that makes it function as such.

2. The aforementioned detailed inventory information is information that requires viewing privileges to be displayed. The aforementioned simplified inventory information does not require viewing privileges to be displayed. The program according to claim 1.

3. The aforementioned simplified inventory information is less accurate than the aforementioned detailed inventory information. The program according to claim 1 or claim 2.

4. The aforementioned simplified inventory information includes store information relating to stores where capsule toy dispensing machines matching the search criteria are installed. The program according to claim 3.

5. The aforementioned simplified inventory information indicates the presence or absence of inventory or the range of remaining quantities, but does not include detailed information on quantities. The program according to claim 3.

6. The aforementioned detailed inventory information includes the number of items in stock at the capsule toy dispensing device. The program according to claim 3.

7. The aforementioned presentation means presents object images corresponding to the inventory level as the simplified inventory information. The program according to claim 3.

8. The aforementioned inventory level has at least three levels: in stock, low stock, and out of stock. The program according to claim 7.

9. The aforementioned inventory levels are set to three stages: "In stock" when the inventory count is 11 or more, "Low stock" when the inventory count is between 1 and 10, and "Out of stock" when the inventory count is 0. The program according to claim 8.

10. The aforementioned presentation means highlights and presents simplified inventory information for capsule toy dispensers that match the search criteria when the number of such dispensers in stock reaches a predetermined number. The program according to claim 3.

11. An inventory information management means for managing inventory information of capsule toy dispensing devices installed in stores that can detect the provision of capsule toys, A search condition receiving means that accepts at least a portion of the name of the capsule toy desired by the user as a search condition, transmitted from the user's terminal, An inventory information acquisition means for acquiring inventory information related to capsule toy dispensing devices that match the aforementioned search criteria, A simplified inventory information transmission means generates simplified inventory information, which is different from the detailed inventory information presented to the administrator's terminal managing the capsule toy dispensing device, using the acquired inventory information, and transmits it to the user's terminal. An inventory information providing device equipped with the following features.

12. It manages inventory information of capsule toy dispensing devices installed in stores that can detect the distribution of capsule toys. The system accepts at least part of the name of the capsule toy the user wants as a search criterion. We obtain inventory information regarding capsule toy dispensing machines that match the aforementioned search criteria. The system generates simplified inventory information, which is different from the detailed inventory information displayed on the terminal of the administrator managing the capsule toy dispensing device, and displays this simplified inventory information on the user's terminal. How to provide inventory information.

13. The user's device and A capsule toy dispensing device installed in the store that can detect the provision of capsule toys, An inventory information providing device equipped with inventory information management means for managing inventory information of the capsule toy dispensing device, An inventory information provision system including, The aforementioned inventory information providing device is A search condition receiving means that receives at least a portion of the name of the capsule toy desired by the user, transmitted from the user's terminal, An inventory information acquisition means that acquires inventory information relating to the capsule toy dispensing device that matches the search criteria from the inventory information management means, A simplified inventory information generation means that generates simplified inventory information, which is different from the detailed inventory information displayed on the terminal of the administrator who manages the capsule toy dispensing device, using the acquired inventory information, A simplified inventory information transmission means that transmits the generated simplified inventory information to the user's terminal, An inventory information provision system equipped with the following features.

Images