Portable gas fuel supply management system and portable gas fuel filling container replacement timing management method

Abstract

[Problem] Provided are a portable gas fuel provision management system and provision management method that are capable of supplying portable gas fuel to a user stably by replacing a gas container regularly at fixed usage intervals without predicting running out of gas. [Solution] A period retrieval unit 31 retrieves an optimal gas container usage period for each user equipment, a period determination unit 32 determines an appropriate fixed regular replacement period, and a scheduled replacement date setting unit 33 sets the next scheduled replacement date of a gas container on the basis of the determined regular replacement period. With these features, the present invention replaces the gas container for each user equipment regularly in certain cycles, to thereby alleviate gas container replacement work loads on both the carrier and user and enable efficient and reasonable replacement of the gas container, the work loads including adjustment of the schedule for replacing the gas container for each user equipment.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a portable gas fuel supply management system and a supply management method for filling gas containers with propane gas or other portable gas fuel (hereinafter referred to as "gas fuel") and providing the gas fuel to users, and for smoothly providing the gas fuel to users by replacing gas containers filled with gas fuel so as not to run out of gas fuel. In particular, the present invention relates to a portable gas fuel supply management system and a method for managing the replacement timing of a portable gas fuel container that are highly useful in countries and regions with special usage environments, such as Southeast Asian and African countries, where facilities such as city gas that supplies gas fuel through pipelines are not in place and where it is difficult to install expensive equipment such as a gas meter in each gas container. [Background technology]

[0002] In countries such as Southeast Asia and Africa, the so-called city gas system, which supplies gas fuel to each household through a gas supply line, is not widespread, and in many countries and regions, gas cylinders filled with portable gas fuel are installed indoors, such as in kitchens, and the portable gas fuel is used as fuel for cooking and other purposes. Since the gas cylinders are installed indoors, it is necessary to enter the house to replace the gas cylinder, and in many cases, the user must be present when replacing the gas cylinder. In addition, gas meters are expensive and often stolen, so there are few gas cylinders with gas meters in Southeast Asia and other areas, and gas cylinders are often installed indoors, so regular reading of gas meters is not performed.

[0003] On the other hand, the introduction of WiFi, smartphones, and other communication devices has progressed relatively well. In this environment, various gas delivery systems and delivery methods have been proposed that monitor the consumption and remaining amount of portable gas fuel for each customer on a communication network, predict when gas will run out as accurately as possible, and efficiently replace gas containers so that gas fuel does not run out (Patent Documents 1 and 2). In addition, Patent Document 3 calculates the monthly usage of a customer from the difference in the pointer data of the monthly meter reading, selects a safety factor for each customer based on a combination of the master capacity and the usage amount, and determines the scheduled delivery date based on the safety factor for each customer. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 5756157 [Patent Document 2] International Publication Wo2020 / 115850 [Patent Document 3] Patent No. 5802225 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] The delivery system and delivery method disclosed in Patent Documents 1 and 2 accurately grasp the amount of portable gas fuel used by each user individually, accurately predict when the remaining amount will run out, and replace gas containers filled with portable gas fuel so as to minimize the remaining amount as much as possible while not running out of gas fuel.

[0006] However, these systems require frequent measurement of the remaining gas level for each individual user and individual prediction of the remaining gas level through the accumulation and analysis of a large amount of measurement data, which increases the costs of building and maintaining the user equipment and management systems. Furthermore, there are many unpredictable variables associated with emergency situations and special events for each user's equipment, making it difficult to accurately predict when gas will run out and replace gas containers appropriately. Furthermore, accurate prediction of when gas will run out requires the collection of data on usage status, so an appropriate replacement date cannot be set until the gas is about to run out (approximately 3 to 7 days before the gas runs out), and delivery companies cannot determine the delivery destination until just before the delivery, making it difficult to set a specific delivery schedule early on.

[0007] Furthermore, as mentioned above, many users keep their gas containers indoors, and in such cases the user must be present when the container is replaced. In this case, it is necessary to arrange a schedule for the user to be present in a short period of time (three to a maximum of seven days) close to the date of the container replacement, making the arrangement of the replacement schedule even more complicated. Furthermore, in Southeast Asian, Middle Eastern and African countries, there are many risks of theft of gas equipment sets (user facilities), gas leaks and unauthorized use of gas fuel, including by gas delivery companies, and measures to prevent these are also necessary.

[0008] Patent Document 3 discloses a method of calculating monthly usage, average monthly usage accumulated over a year, or daily usage based on the index data of monthly meter readings, and calculating a safety factor for each customer based on the monthly usage and master usage to determine the replacement date. That is, Patent Document 3 is premised on the collection of usage data from index data based on gas meters, etc., by regular meter readings. However, since meter readings are not customary in Southeast Asia or Africa, regular calculation of usage based on index data is not possible, and the technology of Patent Document 3 cannot be used.

[0009] Even if usage data could be collected periodically during the usage period, the method of Patent Document 3 calculates a safety factor for each customer based on the usage record of each customer and determines the scheduled delivery date, so the replacement date is different each time. Therefore, the timing of determining the next delivery date is different each time, which makes it difficult for both the delivery center and the user to schedule the replacement date or the date of attendance.

[0010] The present invention has been made in consideration of the problems with the conventional technology, and aims to provide a portable gas fuel supply management system and a method for managing the replacement time of a portable gas fuel filling container that can supply portable gas fuel to users stably and without interruption, without the need for a complex system that requires frequent collection of data on usage for each individual user facility via regular meter reading or communication networks, or setting the next replacement date for a gas container just before a gas shortage occurs based on a prediction of when the gas will run out. [Means for solving the problem]

[0011] In order to achieve the above object, a first aspect of the portable gas fuel supply management system of the present invention is a portable gas fuel supply management system that includes a delivery management unit that manages the next replacement time of a gas container filled with the portable gas fuel for each equipment identifier attached to a user equipment that uses propane gas or other portable gas fuel, and the delivery management unit: a period search unit that sets a provisional use period as a provisional use period until the next time the gas container is replaced based on the amount of gas remaining in the gas container at the time of replacement until a periodic replacement period, which is a confirmed use period for periodically replacing the gas container at a fixed interval, each time the gas container is replaced, and searches for an allowable period during which the amount of gas remaining in the portable gas fuel on the day the gas container is replaced after the provisional use period falls within a first allowable range; A period determination unit that determines the regular replacement period for each equipment identifier based on the allowable period searched for by the period search unit; a replacement schedule date setting unit that sets a next replacement schedule date for the gas container based on the temporary use period every time the gas container is replaced until the regular replacement period is determined, and sets a next replacement schedule date for the gas container based on the regular replacement period every time the gas container is replaced after the regular replacement period is determined; The present invention is characterized by comprising:

[0012] In the system of the present invention, an allowable period, which is an appropriate gas container usage period for each user facility that keeps the risk of running out of gas within a predetermined range while the gas container is repeatedly replaced a predetermined number of times from the start of use of portable gas fuel, is searched for each time the gas container is replaced, and a regular replacement period is determined as an appropriate usage period to be applied to the user facility based on the allowable period searched for. Once the regular replacement period is determined, the next replacement date is set and output based on the regular replacement period each time the gas container is replaced, and the delivery company and the user are notified.

[0013] Once the regular replacement period is determined, gas cylinders are replaced at regular intervals, allowing delivery companies to plan gas cylinder replacement schedules early on. This reduces major changes to delivery schedules, significantly reducing the amount of work required to prepare and plan deliveries, and makes it easier to establish efficient delivery routes. Once the regular replacement period is determined, users will know the next replacement date and future replacement dates, making it easier to adjust the schedule for attendance dates and reducing the burden on users. In addition, unless the user requests otherwise, such as having a special appointment, there will be no need to adjust the user's attendance schedule.

[0014] In this portable gas fuel supply management system, gas containers are replaced for all users with a certain amount of portable gas fuel remaining in order to reduce the risk of running out of gas, so gas containers will be replaced more frequently than if they were replaced based on accurate usage predictions. However, if this system becomes widely used and regular gas container replacement becomes commonplace, it will be possible to establish a regular gas container replacement system that ensures a certain safety margin and is not affected by the amount of gas remaining. If gas containers can be replaced regularly at regular intervals, it will be possible to quickly determine the delivery schedule and clarify the replacement date, so that both the delivery company and the user can obtain various benefits that far exceed those of the conventional delivery method based on prediction of the time to replace gas.

[0015] It is preferable that the period determination unit determines the permissible period as the regular replacement period when the remaining gas amount after the provisional use period has elapsed is within the permissible period at least twice. By determining the regular replacement period based on at least a plurality of replacements, it is possible to eliminate the setting of a regular replacement period due to an exceptional situation, such as when the period falls within the permissible period by chance only once. It is also preferable that the next provisional use period is calculated based on an adjustment coefficient determined according to the remaining gas amount at the time of replacement of the gas container by the period search unit and the previous provisional use period.

[0016] In particular, it is preferable to search for the regular replacement period by adjusting the provisional usage period to the desired first allowable range by changing the adjustment coefficient stepwise each time the gas container is replaced. The adjustment coefficient corresponding to the remaining amount of gas can be determined by storing a list showing appropriate adjustment coefficient values ​​for each remaining amount of gas in advance and selecting an adjustment coefficient according to the remaining amount of gas at the time of replacement.

[0017] Furthermore, it is preferable that the period determination unit is configured to verify whether the remaining amount of gas is within a second allowable range that includes the first allowable range and is wider than the first allowable range after the periodic replacement period is determined, and if the remaining amount of gas is not within the second allowable range, cancel the periodic replacement period determined by the period determination unit and reset the periodic replacement period. This makes it possible to reset the periodic replacement period to an appropriate periodic replacement period according to changes in the usage environment of the user equipment even after the periodic replacement period has been determined. The second allowable range can also be configured to be updated to a range obtained by statistically processing the collected data at regular intervals (for example, once every year or every two years).

[0018] In addition, when gas runs out before the scheduled replacement date, it is preferable to cancel the regular replacement period and have the period search unit search again for the allowable period and reset the regular replacement period. This makes it possible to reset the regular replacement period to a more appropriate period when the usage environment changes significantly. When resetting the regular replacement period in this way, the adjustment coefficient and / or the first allowable period can be changed to re-search for the regular replacement period.

[0019] A first aspect of the method for managing the replacement timing of a portable gas fuel filling container of the present invention is a method for managing the replacement timing of a portable gas fuel filling container in a user facility that uses propane gas or other portable gas fuel, the method managing the next replacement timing of a gas container filled with the portable gas fuel by a computer for each facility identifier assigned to the user facility, The computer includes: a period search step of calculating a provisional usage period as the usage period until the next replacement of the gas container each time the gas container is replaced, setting a scheduled date for the next replacement of the gas container based on the provisional usage period, and searching for an allowable period during which the remaining gas amount of the portable gas fuel on the date of replacement of the gas container falls within a first allowable range, until a regular replacement period, which is the determined usage period of the gas container, is determined; A period determination step of determining the regular replacement period for each equipment identifier based on the allowable period searched for by the period search step; The period search step includes a step of calculating the next provisional use period by multiplying the previous provisional use period by an adjustment coefficient corresponding to the remaining gas amount at the time of replacement every time the gas container is replaced until the periodic replacement period is determined, and setting the next scheduled replacement date of the gas container based on the next provisional use period; and a step of setting the next scheduled replacement date of the gas container based on the periodic replacement period every time the gas container is replaced after the periodic replacement period is determined. The present invention is characterized by comprising: Effect of the Invention

[0020] The present invention replaces gas containers at each user's facility not by detecting that the remaining amount of gas fuel in a gas container in use is low, but by periodically replacing the gas containers at each user's facility at regular intervals based on a fixed regular replacement period determined by searching for each user's facility.This reduces the burden on both delivery companies and users associated with gas container replacement, including adjusting the schedule for gas container replacement for each user's facility, and makes it possible to achieve efficient and rational gas container replacement.

[0021] Specifically, once the regular replacement period is determined, the gas containers are replaced at regular intervals, allowing the delivery company to set up a schedule for replacing the gas containers at an early stage. In addition, it is possible to significantly reduce the effort required for preparing and planning the delivery schedule, and since the number of user facilities for each delivery date is determined to be approximately constant, it becomes easier to establish an efficient delivery route. It becomes easier for users to adjust the schedule for the date of attendance. In particular, once this system becomes widespread and regular gas container replacement that is not dependent on changes in the amount of remaining gas becomes common, the replacement of gas containers for all customers at each delivery base will be repeated at approximately regular intervals, significantly reducing the burden on the delivery company. In addition, by ensuring a specified amount of remaining gas and setting the regular replacement period, it becomes possible to provide a stable supply of gas containers without running out of gas. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0022] [Figure 1] 1 is a conceptual diagram showing the overall configuration of a typical example of a portable gas fuel supply management system of the present invention; [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating an embodiment of a user facility. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram of a management server according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram showing, in a simplified form, the functions of an embodiment of a delivery management unit which is a main part of the present invention. [Diagram 5] 11 is a flowchart showing an example of a basic processing procedure of a management server when a user facility is installed and use of portable gas fuel is started. [Figure 6] 10 is a flowchart showing a first embodiment of a process for setting a next planned replacement date. [Figure 7] 10 is a flowchart of a second embodiment of a process for setting a planned exchange date. [Figure 8] 13 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure for setting a planned exchange date according to a third embodiment. [Figure 9] 1 is a flow chart illustrating an embodiment of an emergency response procedure. [Figure 10] 13 is another example of an emergency response procedure (embodiment 2 of the emergency response procedure). [Figure 11] A setting table of the adjustment coefficient αx for calculating the provisional use period Tn. [Figure 12] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing user equipment in which multiple (2) gas containers are installed. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0023] The present invention relates to a portable gas fuel supply management system and management method for stably supplying portable gas fuel, which is a gas container filled with gas fuel, to a user. Hereinafter, when referring to the replacement of a gas container, it refers to replacing a gas container currently in use with a gas container filled with portable gas fuel. In the present invention, the next scheduled date for the gas container replacement is determined early after the gas container replacement and notified to the user and the delivery company, thereby reducing the various work burdens and management burdens required for the replacement of the gas container. In addition, in order to stably supply portable gas fuel while reducing the risk of running out of gas, an appropriate usage period until the replacement of the gas container is searched for for each user facility at an early stage after the installation of the facility, and a regular replacement period, which is a usage period for regularly replacing the gas container, is determined.

[0024] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Fig. 1 is a conceptual diagram showing the overall configuration of an example of a portable gas fuel supply management system 10 (hereinafter simply referred to as a "management system") of the present invention that smoothly provides portable gas fuel to users. Fig. 1 shows an example in which the management server 20, the user equipment 40, and the respective devices of the delivery base 50 are directly connected to each other via a communication network 90 such as the Internet to exchange information.

[0025] 1, the management server 20, the user equipment 40, and the delivery base 50 are directly connected via a communication network 90, but the portable gas fuel supply management system of the present invention does not necessarily require the management server and the user equipment to be directly connected, and may be configured so that information is input to the management server via a delivery person's mobile terminal (not shown). Also, various information may be received via a delivery person's mobile phone or the like (not shown) and input to the management server 20. In this case, the management server 20, the mobile terminal, the mobile phone, etc. constitute the portable gas fuel management system of the present invention.

[0026] In Southeast Asian and African countries, portable gas fuel is widely used as a fuel essential to life, and in relatively densely populated areas, thousands to hundreds of thousands of user facilities 40 (represented by a1 to an) are in operation. The management server 20 manages the usage status of portable gas fuel at many user facilities 40 and distribution bases 50 in order to provide many users in a relatively wide area with a stable supply of portable gas fuel, which is essential to life. The management server 20 is a computer system that acquires information on users and user facilities and information on the usage status of each individual user, and determines the scheduled date for replacing gas containers for each user facility, thereby managing the smooth replacement of gas containers. The scheduled replacement date determined by the management server 20 is notified to the distribution base 50 and the user. At the distribution base 50, a delivery schedule plan is proposed and revised, and the user makes schedule adjustments for attendance and preparations for payment according to the replacement date.

[0027] The distribution base 50 performs a distribution service for each of the numerous user facilities 40 (a1 to an) to replace gas containers before they run out of gas, based on information from the management server 20, so that the portable gas fuel is not interrupted. Since the distribution base 50 is responsible for the logistics service of physically delivering and replacing gas containers to the user facilities 40, from the viewpoint of speeding up the replacement service and ensuring a stable supply, a certain area managed by the management server 20 is divided into smaller territories, and several dozen distribution bases 50 (b1 to bm) are provided. A plurality of delivery personnel are attached to each distribution base 50, and they deliver gas containers filled with portable gas fuel and replace them as appropriate.

[0028] At each of the distribution bases 50 (b1 to bm), the gas containers collected from the users are filled with portable gas fuel, and on the scheduled replacement date determined by the management server 20, the gas containers filled with portable gas fuel are delivered to each of the user facilities 40 to replace the gas containers currently in use. At each of the distribution bases 50, there are many delivery personnel in charge of delivery to the many user facilities 40. Each delivery personnel carries the gas containers filled with portable gas fuel on a motorcycle or truck to the user facility 40, and replaces the gas containers installed at the user facility 40 before they run out of gas. Note that the function of the management server 20 for setting the scheduled replacement date for the gas containers, which will be described later, can be transferred to a computer or server at the distribution base 50, and the scheduled replacement date can be set at the distribution base 50.

[0029] Fig. 2 is a diagram showing a schematic diagram of one embodiment of the user facility 40. Fig. 2 shows an example including a gas appliance (not shown) for burning portable gas fuel to be used for cooking, etc., a gas container 41 filled with flammable gas, and a weighing scale 42 (which may be a pressure gauge) for measuring the weight of the portable gas fuel filled in the gas container 41. Fig. 2 shows an example of a configuration including a wireless LAN slave (Wi-Fi slave) 43 and a wireless LAN router 44 for performing data communication with the management server 20. The wireless communication device is a device that can be set arbitrarily, and is not an essential component of the present invention.

[0030] Instead of or in addition to the configuration in which data of the user equipment 40, such as weight data, is transmitted to the management server 20 via the wireless LAN of the user equipment 40 in Fig. 2, a configuration in which information is transmitted to the management server 20 using a smartphone or other mobile terminal on which a specific application is installed may be used. Furthermore, a configuration in which input information is transmitted by telephone using a mobile phone and information is input to the management server 20 based on that information may also be used. As described above, in many cases, such user equipment 40 (a1 to an) is installed indoors where the user resides. In the case of such user equipment installed indoors, the user must be present when replacing the gas container.

[0031] FIG. 3 shows a functional block diagram of a management server (including an input / output unit and an external storage unit) 20 according to an embodiment of the present invention. In this example, as in FIG. 1, an example is shown in which a communication control unit 21 is provided that transmits and receives data to and from a user facility 40, a distribution base 50, etc. via a communication network 90. ​​This is not limited to this example, and when inputting information offline, for example, a server administrator can input required data from a keyboard or the like of the input / output unit 29 based on information from a mobile phone or the like. The input / output unit 29 is provided with an input / output control unit, an input / output interface, a keyboard, a display unit, a printer unit, etc. (none of which are shown), and registration information, etc. inputted from a keyboard, etc. is inputted to the management control unit 23, and various processes such as registration of user information, setting of a scheduled exchange date, etc. are executed.

[0032] The management server 20 is actually composed of hardware such as a CPU, memory, communication device, input / output I / F, and bus control, as well as various control programs and control data stored in memory, and is further configured to be connected to input / output devices such as a display device and a printer as necessary. Figure 3 is a functional block diagram showing only the important components related to the main parts of the present invention of this management server 20 in a functionally simplified form.

[0033] The communication control unit 21 is equipped with a communication interface, and transmits and receives data to and from external devices (user equipment, mobile terminals, delivery bases, etc.) via the communication network 90. ​​The reception unit 22 receives data received by the communication control unit 21, and outputs it to the management control unit 23. The management control unit 23 controls the memory unit 24 and other units 25-29 to execute various processes for managing the supply of portable gas fuel. Under the control of the management control unit 23, the memory unit 24 stores various individual information for each user equipment, such as the user's name, address, configuration of the user equipment, user identifier, container identifier, etc., information on the delivery company, various programs, control data for controlling the various programs, and other necessary data.

[0034] The information registration unit 25 controls the registration, modification and output to the memory unit 24 of necessary information such as the user's name, address, information on the user equipment 40, and cashless payment information at the start of use, as well as a user identifier and equipment identifier, which are identification numbers assigned to each user and user equipment 40. The delivery management unit 26 is a main feature of the present invention, and sets the planned replacement date for replacing the gas container 41 installed in the user equipment 40. The settlement management unit 27 manages the settlement of expenses related to gas container replacement and other user equipment-related expenses. The delivery management unit 26 will be described in further detail below.

[0035] Fig. 4 is a functional block diagram showing, in a simplified form, the characteristic main functions of one embodiment of the delivery management unit 26, which is a main part of the present invention. Fig. 4 shows an example in which the delivery management unit 26 includes a delivery control unit 30, a period search unit 31, a period determination unit 32, a scheduled replacement date setting unit 33, and an emergency response processing unit 35. The emergency response processing unit 35 performs response processing to deal with an emergency such as when gas runs out earlier than the scheduled replacement date, and although the emergency response processing unit 35 is not necessarily required, it is preferable to include it.

[0036] The delivery control unit 30 controls each unit (31, 32, 33, 35) of the delivery management unit 26, and controls the overall processing of the delivery management unit 26 so that each time the gas container 41 is replaced, the usage period until the next replacement of the gas container 41 is set, and the scheduled date for the next gas container replacement is set and output. The period search unit 31 searches for an appropriate usage period (period until the next replacement) of the gas container that is suitable for the usage mode of the user equipment after the start of use of the usage equipment. Specifically, after the start of use of the user equipment, based on the remaining gas amount at the time of replacement of the gas container of the user equipment 40, a search is started for an appropriate "regular replacement period" in which the remaining gas amount at the time of replacement of the gas container falls within an appropriate range. Until the regular replacement period is determined, a provisional usage period is set as the period until the next scheduled replacement date. Here, the allowable range in which the remaining gas amount at the time of replacement of the gas container is an appropriate value may be determined based on the remaining amount ratio. The remaining amount ratio is expressed by taking the maximum amount of portable gas fuel that can be filled in a gas container as the denominator and the remaining amount of portable gas fuel remaining at the time of replacing the gas container as the numerator, and is the ratio of the remaining amount to the fully filled state of portable gas fuel. The remaining amount ratio can be expressed as the ratio of the weight of the remaining gas or the pressure of the remaining gas. In the following, an example will be used in which the allowable range of the remaining gas amount is specified by the remaining amount ratio. When multiple gas containers are used, the capacity of the entire gas containers used at the user facility may be used as the denominator, which is the maximum amount of portable gas fuel.

[0037] When the remaining amount ratio at the time of replacement falls within a predetermined allowable range (first allowable range), the period determination unit 32 recognizes the provisional use period set at the time of the previous replacement as an allowable period. If the allowable period thereafter satisfies a predetermined condition, the allowable period is determined as a "regular replacement period". The "regular replacement period" is a period of use of a certain length that is the basis of calculations for periodically replacing the gas container thereafter. The predetermined condition here may be, for example, that the same allowable period has been set a predetermined number of times or more. Detailed processing procedures of the period search unit 31, the period determination unit 32, and the delivery management unit 26 including the replacement schedule date setting unit 33 and the emergency response processing unit 35 described below will be described later. The above-mentioned allowable period may also be recognized by the period search unit 31.

[0038] After the periodic replacement period has been determined by the period determination unit 32, the gas container is replaced periodically based on the periodic replacement period, in principle, regardless of the amount of gas remaining at the time of replacement of the gas container. However, even after the periodic replacement period has been determined, it is desirable to monitor whether the remaining amount ratio is within an allowable range (second allowable range) wider than the first allowable range, and if the remaining amount ratio at the time of replacement is not within the second allowable range, to cancel the determined periodic replacement period, search for the allowable period again from the beginning, and reset the periodic replacement period. The replacement schedule date setting unit 33 sets the next scheduled replacement date for the gas container based on the provisional use period, the allowable period, or the regular replacement period. The next scheduled replacement date for the gas container is the date on which the gas container is replaced with a new one plus the provisional use period, the allowable period, or the regular replacement period.

[0039] The emergency response processing unit 35 performs a response process when gas runs out before the scheduled replacement date set by the scheduled replacement date setting unit 33 is reached. Since the scheduled replacement date is set so that the gas container is replaced with a certain amount of gas remaining, it is not expected that gas will run out earlier than the scheduled replacement date, and this is an emergency. In particular, after the regular period has been determined, if such a gas run occurs despite the regular replacement period being determined by searching for an acceptable period, it is highly likely that the usage environment of the user's equipment has changed and the amount of gas fuel used has increased. Or, it is possible that the gas usage fee has suddenly increased due to the occurrence of a special event.

[0040] It is desirable for the basic processing operation to respond to such an emergency to search again for an appropriate usage period that matches the usage environment and reset the regular replacement period to match the current usage environment. Therefore, for example, it is desirable to search again for the allowable period from the beginning and determine the regular replacement period, similar to the response processing when the remaining amount at the time of replacement is not within the second allowable range as described above. If the usage environment of the user equipment has changed, it is expected that by searching again for the allowable period, an allowable period that is more suited to the actual usage environment will be searched for and an appropriate regular replacement period will be set.

[0041] <Processing when starting to use user equipment> FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an example of a basic processing procedure of the management server 20 when a user signs a contract for use of a user facility, installs new user facility, and starts using portable gas fuel. When the installation of the user equipment is decided, the customer information of the user equipment, information about the user equipment, and the customer information are input to the management server. The customer information, etc., is, for example, the address of the user equipment, the address and name of the user, the type and mode of the equipment, information about cashless payment and other settlements, etc. In addition, when the user equipment is installed according to a predetermined schedule, the equipment completion report information is input to the management server.

[0042] When the customer information and user equipment information are input (S11; Yes), the equipment information and customer information are registered in the memory unit (S12). Furthermore, when the installation of the user equipment is finished, it is confirmed whether the installation of the user equipment 40 including the gas container is completed (S13). When the equipment installation completion information is received (S13; Yes), it is confirmed whether the number of times the gas container has been replaced is N=0 (S14). Since the time when the user equipment 40 is installed is the initial setting of the gas container, the number of times the gas container has been replaced is N=0 (S14; Yes), and the process proceeds to step S15. When it is not the initial setting (when N=0), the process proceeds to the gas container replacement processing flow (S21) described later (S14; No).

[0043] If it is the first time setting (S14; Yes), equipment data of the user equipment is acquired (S15), and an initial use period S that is predetermined to correspond to the equipment conditions is acquired (S16). The initial use period S is determined and listed according to the type and size of the equipment to be used, and the initial use period S that corresponds to the equipment to be used is picked up from the listed table (not shown). It is preferable that the initial setting period S is set to a use period with a sufficient margin so as not to run out of gas, taking into consideration that the equipment to be used has no history of use whatsoever.

[0044] When the initial usage period S is acquired (S16), the initial usage period S is added to the day the equipment is installed, and the next scheduled replacement date PD for the gas container is set (S17). When the next scheduled replacement date PD is set, it is stored in the management server 20 and printed or output as data (S18), and is communicated to the delivery company and user who will be replacing the gas container. Thereafter, the number of times N the gas container has been replaced is counted up by one (S19), and the process of setting the scheduled replacement date at the initial setting is completed.

[0045] <Embodiment of the process for setting the next scheduled date for replacing a gas cylinder: Setting of the tentative scheduled date for replacement> Next, the procedure for replacing a gas container will be described. FIG. 6 is a flow chart showing a first embodiment of the procedure for setting the next scheduled date of replacement. The next scheduled date of replacement of the gas container is not necessarily determined at the site of replacement on the day of the replacement of the gas container. However, it is desirable to set the next scheduled date of replacement at the site of replacement immediately after the gas container is replaced and to inform the user, such as a witness, of the next date of replacement on the spot. By quickly determining the schedule for the next gas container replacement between the delivery company and the user on the spot, it is possible to determine the next date of replacement more smoothly and quickly than by adjusting it later. Depending on the situation of the user, it is possible to change the scheduled date of replacement later.

[0046] An example of a processing procedure for determining the next scheduled replacement date will be described with reference to Fig. 6. When a gas container of a user facility is replaced, information such as the user facility number and the remaining amount of gas is transmitted from the replacement site to the management server 20 via a wireless terminal device or the like. When the management server 20 acquires the information that the gas container is to be replaced and the remaining amount of gas fuel at the time of replacement (S21; Yes), the replacement date and the remaining amount of gas fuel at the time of replacement of the gas container are stored (S22).

[0047] Next, it is checked whether the Ts determination flag is ON (S23). The Ts determination flag is a flag indicating that the regular replacement period Ts for periodically replacing the gas container of the user facility 40 at regular intervals of a certain length has been determined. The regular replacement period Ts is determined by the period determination unit 32. If the Ts determination flag is ON, it means that the regular replacement period Ts has already been determined. Therefore, when the Ts flag is ON (S23; Yes), the regular replacement period Ts is added to the gas replacement date to set the next replacement scheduled date PD (S30). The set next replacement scheduled date PD is stored in the storage unit of the management server 20 and output to notify the gas container replacement contractor and the user (S31).

[0048] At least at the first replacement, since the Ts determination flag is not ON (S23; No), in the next step, it is checked whether the remaining amount ratio WR is within a predetermined range (the first allowable range) (S24), and the search process for the regular replacement date is started.

[0049] In step S24 of FIG. 6, the first allowable range of the remaining amount ratio WR is set as 0.1 < WR < 0.15. This is an example, and the allowable range can be determined according to the scale of the user facility 40, the usage amount of the gas fuel, etc. As a basic concept, in order to enable periodic replacement at the same fixed usage period each time, in order to appropriately suppress the risk of running out of gas and the remaining gas amount, it is required to achieve an appropriate balance so that a certain amount of unused gas remains at the time of replacing the gas container. From the perspective of risk avoidance, an appropriate remaining amount ratio WR value corresponding to the scale of the user facility, etc. is determined so that there is a certain amount of remaining gas that can absorb fluctuations in the gas usage amount during the next usage period.

[0050] As described above, the remaining amount ratio WR is the ratio (R / F) of the total amount F of gas fuel when the portable gas fuel is fully filled and the remaining amount of gas fuel (gas remaining amount) R at the time of gas container replacement. The first allowable range (the allowable range of WR) serving as the determination criterion is not determined individually for each user facility based on the gas remaining amount on the scheduled replacement date, but is determined for each type so as to correspond to the type of user facility (general type according to scale, industry type, usage pattern). It is desirable to statistically aggregate and analyze the data of various user facilities for each type to set an appropriate range for this first allowable range. Also, it is desirable to review and update the first allowable range at regular intervals. Based on this first allowable range determined for each certain equipment type (type or form of equipment), the regular replacement period of each individual user facility is uniformly determined.

[0051] Returning to the example of FIG. 6 to explain the processing procedure, it is confirmed whether the remaining amount ratio WR is within the first allowable range (0.1 < WR < 0.15), that is, whether the unused gas fuel (remaining amount) at the time of replacement is within 10% to 15% at the time of replacement (S24). If the remaining amount ratio WR is not within this range (S24; No), based on the deviation from the target value of the remaining amount ratio at the time of replacement, a provisional usage period Tn is calculated so that the usage period approaches the target remaining amount ratio closer on the next replacement date (S25). The calculation of the provisional usage period Tn for approaching the remaining amount ratio of an appropriate replacement risk as the target is performed using an adjustment coefficient αx. The adjustment coefficient αx is predetermined according to the value of the remaining amount ratio on the replacement date, and the next provisional usage period is calculated by correcting the previous provisional usage period Tn-1 using the adjustment coefficient αx.

[0052] The adjustment coefficient αx will be described with reference to FIG. 11. FIG. 11 illustrates a table of the adjustment coefficient αx for calculating the provisional use period Tn used in step S23. With reference to this table, an example of calculating the next provisional use period Tn will be described. For example, in the table of FIG. 11, when the remaining amount ratio at the time of replacing the gas container 41 is WR>0.25, that is, when the remaining amount is more than 25%, the adjustment coefficient αx is set to 1.12. That is, by calculating the next provisional use period Tn as the previous provisional use period Tn-1×αx, the usage period is extended by 12% from the previous provisional use period Tn-1. Therefore, the adjustment coefficient αx is set to 1.12. This is because the remaining amount ratio at the time of this replacement is WR<0.25 and the remaining amount of gas fuel at the time of replacing the gas container is quite large, so the next provisional use period Tn is extended and the usage period is set to be 1.12 times longer than the previous one so that the remaining amount of gas at the time of the next replacement is smaller.

[0053] When the remaining gas amount is large and the remaining amount ratio WR is 0.25 ≥ WR ≥ 0.20, the adjustment coefficient is set to 1.07, and the usage period is extended 1.07 times from the previous provisional usage period Tn-1 to reduce the remaining gas amount. When the remaining gas amount is less, between 15% and 20% of the full tank (0.20 > WR ≥ 0.15), the adjustment coefficient is set to 1.03, and the provisional setting period Tn is set to extend the usage period by 1.03 times.

[0054] Conversely, when the current remaining amount ratio WR is 0.1 or less and 0.05 or more, the remaining amount of gas is too small to respond to the risk of fluctuations in gas usage and there is a possibility of gas running out, so it is necessary to shorten the provisional use period a little more than the previous time to increase the remaining amount of gas. Therefore, as shown in the "0.1≧WR≧0.05" and "0.05>WR" columns in the table of Figure 11, when the remaining amount ratio WR is 0.1 (10%) or less, the adjustment coefficient αx = 0.95 or αx = 0.90, which is smaller than 1. As a result, the next provisional use period Tn is set shorter than the previous provisional use period Tn-1, and the remaining amount of gas is set to be greater.

[0055] In addition, it is conceivable that the gas runs out before the scheduled replacement date arrives. If the gas runs out, an emergency refill (emergency replacement) of the gas container is required due to the gas shortage. The fact that the gas has actually run out and an emergency replacement of the gas container is necessary means that the provisional usage period or regular usage period for determining the replacement date of the gas container is too long, so it is necessary to replace the gas container earlier. Therefore, in the example shown in FIG. 11, the emergency adjustment coefficient αx is set to 0.8, and the provisional usage period is set to be 20% shorter than the provisional usage period set at the time of gas shortage.

[0056] When the provisional usage period Tn is calculated (S25), the provisional usage period Tn is added to the date of the replacement date, and the next scheduled replacement date PD is set (S26). When the next scheduled replacement date PD is set, it is stored in the storage unit 24 of the management server 20 and output in various forms such as communication, printing, and display (S27), and the replacement count N is updated (S28). The output scheduled replacement date PD is provided to the delivery operator and the user, and preparations such as schedule adjustment are advanced toward the next scheduled replacement date PD.

[0057] When the remaining amount ratio WR at the time of the current gas container replacement is within the first allowable range of 0.1 < WR < 0.15 (S24; Yes), it is determined that the provisional usage period Tn-1 set at the time of the previous replacement was within the allowable period Tk, which is the allowable range targeted by the period search unit 31. However, in the example shown in FIG. 6, the provisional usage period Tn-1 is not immediately set as the regular replacement period Ts as it is. In the example of FIG. 6, even if it is determined that the remaining amount ratio WR at the time of the current replacement is within the allowable range Tk and the previously set provisional usage period Tn-1 is the allowable period Tk, if the replacement count N of the gas container 41 is less than or equal to the predetermined count (S29; No), the process procedure for setting the provisional usage period Tn is repeated (S25 to S28).

[0058] In the processing procedure illustrated in FIG. 6, setting the replacement of the gas container a predetermined number of times or more as a condition for determining the regular replacement period Ts is to avoid the contingency that the usage amount during the period from the previous replacement to the current replacement is accidentally small or large, and to determine a stable regular replacement period. Therefore, it is preferable that the predetermined number N is 2 or more, and when it is 3 or 4 or more, it becomes possible to search for a more stable determined period Ts.

[0059] When the remaining amount ratio WR of the gas fuel at the time of replacement is within the first allowable range of 0.1 < WR < 0.15 (S24; Yes), and if the replacement count N has already reached a predetermined number or more (S29; Yes), it is determined that the previously set provisional usage period Tn-1 (which is also the allowable period Tk) shall, in principle, be the "regular replacement period Ts" which is the usage period for determining the next scheduled replacement date PD hereafter (S28). Thereafter, the Ts flag indicating that the regular replacement period Ts has been determined is turned ON (S29), based on the determined regular replacement period Ts, the scheduled replacement date PD is calculated and set (S30), the scheduled replacement date PD is stored and output (S31), and transmitted to the delivery operator 50 and the user.

[0060] In the example of the processing shown in FIG. 6, the first allowable range of the remaining amount ratio for determining the allowable period Tk is set to 0.1 < WR < 0.15. Therefore, for the range of 0.1 < WR < 0.15, the adjustment coefficient is set to 1.0, and the same provisional usage period Tn as at the previous replacement is set again, and based on this, the next scheduled replacement date PD is set (S23, S24). However, in order to bring the remaining amount at the time of replacement closer to the median value of the predetermined range of 0.1 < WR < 0.15, it may be configured to change the adjustment coefficient αx even more finely and stepwise within this range. Note that the table of the adjustment coefficient αx shown in FIG. 11 is an example, and by determining the adjustment coefficient αx more finely and stepwise, it becomes possible to search for the regular replacement period Ts more efficiently.

[0061] <Second Embodiment of the Provisional Scheduled Replacement Date Setting Processing Procedure> FIG. 7 shows a flowchart of another example (second embodiment) of the procedure for setting the scheduled replacement date. The difference from the first embodiment shown in FIG. 6 is that, instead of steps S40 to S42 in FIG. 6, steps S45 to S48 are provided, and the number of times for determining the regular replacement period Ts is determined using the number Nk of the allowable period Tk instead of the number N of replacement times. Thus, while the number Nk of replacements within the allowable period Tk is less than a predetermined number (S46; No), the next scheduled replacement date PD is set based on the temporary use period (S25, S26), and when Nk becomes equal to or greater than the predetermined number (S46: Yes), the regular replacement period Ts is determined (S47). This makes it possible to more reliably guide the regular replacement period Ts within a more reliable predetermined range (within the first allowable range). Here, the number Nk that is a condition for determining the regular replacement period Ts may be limited to the number Nk of consecutive occurrences of the allowable period Tk.

[0062] <Third Embodiment of the Procedure for Setting the Tentative Scheduled Replacement Date> FIG. 8 shows a flowchart according to the third embodiment of the procedure for setting the scheduled replacement date. The difference from the first embodiment in FIG. 6 is that, in addition to each processing step in FIG. 6, steps S50 and S51 are provided. In step S50, even when the regular replacement period Ts has been determined (S23; Yes), it is checked whether the remaining amount ratio WR is within a second allowable range 0.05 < WR < 0.25 that is wider than the first allowable range 0.1 < WR < 0.15 (S50). That is, even when the regular replacement period Ts has been determined, if the remaining amount ratio WR is outside the second allowable range, the Ts determination flag is turned off, and the regular replacement period Ts is searched again and reset.

[0063] Note that in FIG. 8, the second allowable range is set as "0.1 < WR < 0.15", but this is not the only case, and it can be set to any value from the viewpoint of the degree of safety for avoiding the risk of gas depletion. In this way, even after the regular replacement period Ts has been determined, by checking whether the remaining amount ratio WR exceeds a predetermined allowable range, it is possible to monitor whether the regular replacement period Ts is appropriate, and if it exceeds the allowable range, reset the regular replacement period Ts to further suppress the risk of gas depletion.

[0064] That is, in the third embodiment, after the regular replacement period Ts is determined, if the remaining amount ratio WR is too small (for example, 0.05 or less) or too large (for example, 0.25 or more), the regular replacement period Ts is searched for and reset. Such a situation is likely to occur when the usage environment of the utilization equipment 40 has changed or the set regular replacement period Ts is not appropriate. In the example of the figure, when the remaining amount ratio deviates from the range of "0.05 < WR < 0.25", that is, when the remaining amount becomes 5% or less or 25% or more (S50; No), the Ts determination flag is turned off (S51), the temporary usage period is set again, and a more appropriate regular replacement period Ts is searched for again (S24 to S28 and S40 to S42). Thereby, it becomes possible to reset an appropriate regular replacement period Ts according to the changed usage environment of the utilization equipment 40.

[0065] Although not shown as a flowchart, an embodiment (the fourth embodiment) may be adopted in which the processes of steps S45 to S48 of the second embodiment shown in FIG. 7 are combined and adopted instead of the processes of steps S40 to S42 of the third embodiment shown in FIG. 8. It is also possible to adopt a configuration in which these embodiments are selectively combined as appropriate.

[0066] <Embodiment 1 of the Emergency Gas Container Replacement Response Processing Procedure> Next, a procedure for responding to an emergency when gas runs out before the next scheduled replacement date will be described. FIG. 9 is a flow chart showing one embodiment of the procedure for responding to an emergency. When gas runs out before the scheduled replacement date PD, a request for gas container replacement is made from the user of the user equipment. When an emergency request for gas container replacement due to gas shortage is made (S60; Yes), the regular replacement period Ts, various flags, and various counters (N, Nk, etc.) that have already been set are reset (S61), and the previous provisional use period Tn-1 for emergency and the adjustment coefficient αx for emergency (see the example in FIG. 11) are set to calculate the next replacement date (S62). When the provisional use period is set, the process from step S23 onward of the procedure for processing the scheduled replacement date shown in various embodiments in FIGS. 6 to 8 and the like is executed, and the next replacement date is determined.

[0067] It is preferable that the previous temporary use period Tn-1 for emergency use is set based on the use period (temporary use period Tn-1 or regular replacement period Ts) set at the time of the previous replacement. For example, a predetermined special use period shorter than the use period set at the time of the previous replacement may be set for emergency use. After that, the use period is searched again and the regular replacement period is reset based on the processing procedures of Figs. 6 to 8 and the like described above. As a result, the next temporary use period Tn after the emergency replacement is first calculated, and an appropriate regular replacement period Ts according to the change in the usage environment of the user equipment is searched again, and a more appropriate regular replacement period according to the current usage environment is set.

[0068] <Emergency gas cylinder replacement procedure implementation example 2> FIG. 10 shows another example of the procedure for responding to an emergency (embodiment 2 of the procedure for responding to an emergency). In this embodiment, the adjustment coefficient αx in an emergency is changed according to the number of occurrences of emergency replacement due to gas shortage. When an emergency request for gas container replacement due to gas shortage is made (S70; Yes), the regular replacement period Ts, counters, various flags, etc. are reset (S71), and the previous use period Tn-1 or emergency use period and the adjustment coefficient αx in an emergency are set (S72). For this purpose, the gas shortage counter En is counted every time gas shortage occurs in the utilization equipment (S73), and the first allowable range and the adjustment coefficient αx shown in step 24 of FIG. 6, 8, 9 are switched to emergency setting values ​​according to the count number of the gas shortage counter En (S45).

[0069] Although the first allowable range and the adjustment coefficient that are switched according to the count number of the gas out counter En are not illustrated, it is desirable to gradually change the first allowable period so that the remaining amount of gas increases each time the count number of the gas out counter En increases. This allows the temporary use period Tn to be set to a safer range depending on the frequency of gas outages. In addition, when the embodiment of FIG. 10 is adopted, it is desirable to also switch the second allowable range when emergency replacement occurs in the third embodiment shown in FIG. 8.

[0070] In the above description of each embodiment, the gas utilization facility 40 having one gas container 41 shown in FIG. 2 has been described. However, some utilization facilities have a gas utilization facility 40-2 having two or more gas containers as shown in FIG. 12. In such a user facility 40-2, an automatic switching regulator 46 is generally installed so that when the gas fuel in the gas container 41-1 in use runs low, the gas utilization facility 40-2 can be automatically switched to the other gas container 41-2. Also, instead of using the automatic switching regulator 46 that uses the gas containers one at a time, the user may manually switch from the empty gas container 41-1 to the other gas container 41-2.

[0071] In a facility with two or more gas containers such as user facility 40-2, the gas containers may be replaced one by one based on the regular replacement period, as in the case of one gas container 41, but in the case of a facility with two gas containers, for example, the regular use period of one gas container may be doubled to set the regular use period of the facility, and two gas containers may be replaced at the same time. In this case, for example, the regular replacement date may be searched for based on one gas container, and after the regular replacement date PD is determined, the regular replacement period may be doubled to replace two gas containers at the same time.

[0072] Furthermore, in a facility such as user facility 40-2 that has two gas containers or a facility to which more than one gas container is connected, a gas supply regulator (not shown) that consumes gas fuel from two or more gas containers almost simultaneously and evenly can be provided instead of automatic switching adjustment 46. Using gas fuel from multiple gas containers almost simultaneously can be made possible by configuring the gas supply regulator to have a connection part that connects the gas supply regulator to a pressure reducer that reduces the pressure from the gas container and supplies the gas fuel to the gas appliance so that gas fuel can be supplied from the multiple gas containers simultaneously.

[0073] Even in the case where gas fuel from multiple gas containers is used simultaneously using a gas supply regulator in this way, the portable gas fuel supply management system using the replacement method based on the regular replacement period of the present invention can be applied. In this case, the initial use period S is set to a multiple of the number of gas containers to search for the regular replacement period. In this case, multiple gas containers are replaced simultaneously, but since the multiple gas containers in use will have approximately the same amount of remaining gas, it is desirable to set the range of the remaining amount ratio WR in such a user facility so that the first allowable range and the second allowable range have a smaller remaining amount at the time of replacement. In addition, when determining this predetermined range, it is preferable to set it so that the more gas containers are used simultaneously, the smaller the remaining amount at the time of replacement.

[0074] As is clear from the above explanation, the present invention determines the scheduled replacement period and the next replacement date PD at an early stage, greatly reducing the workload associated with the adjustment of schedules between the delivery company and the user, and the adjustment of the delivery company's customer delivery schedule and delivery route for each replacement date. However, this does not deny the conventional method of grasping the usage status of each facility online through a network.

[0075] While adopting the regular replacement period according to the present invention, it is also possible to configure the system to avoid emergencies due to gas shortages by collecting online data via a network and issuing an early replacement signal when the usage amount falls below a predetermined amount. It is also possible to configure the system to extract a more accurate regular replacement period based on the online data. [Explanation of symbols]

[0076] 10. Portable gas fuel supply management system according to one embodiment of the present invention 20 Management Server 25 Information Registration Department 26 Delivery Management Department 27 Clearing Management Department 30 Delivery Control Section 31 Period Search Section 32 Period determination section 33 Replacement date setting section 35 Emergency Response Department 40 User equipment 41 Gas bottle 42 Weight scale 43 Wireless LAN adapter 44 Wireless LAN Router 46 Automatic switching regulator 50 Distribution Centers WR remaining ratio Ts Regular exchange period Tn Provisional period Tk Tolerance Period αx adjustment coefficient PD Next replacement date

Claims

1. A supply management system for portable gas fuel, comprising: a delivery management unit for managing the next replacement time of a gas container filled with the portable gas fuel for each equipment identifier attached to the user equipment in a user equipment that uses propane gas or other portable gas fuel; The delivery management unit includes: a period search unit that sets a provisional use period as a provisional use period until the next time the gas container is replaced based on the amount of gas remaining in the gas container at the time of replacement until a periodic replacement period, which is a confirmed use period for periodically replacing the gas container at a fixed interval, each time the gas container is replaced, and searches for an allowable period during which the amount of gas remaining in the portable gas fuel on the day the gas container is replaced after the provisional use period falls within a first allowable range; A period determination unit that determines the regular replacement period for each equipment identifier based on the allowable period searched for by the period search unit; a replacement schedule date setting unit that sets a next replacement schedule date for the gas container based on the temporary use period every time the gas container is replaced until the regular replacement period is determined, and sets a next replacement schedule date for the gas container based on the regular replacement period every time the gas container is replaced after the regular replacement period is determined; A portable gas fuel supply management system comprising:

2. The portable gas fuel supply management system according to claim 1, characterized in that the period determination unit determines the permissible period as the regular replacement period when the remaining gas amount after the provisional use period has elapsed is within the permissible period at least twice.

3. The portable gas fuel supply management system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that after the regular replacement period has been determined, the period determination unit verifies whether the remaining gas amount is within a second allowable range which is a wider range that includes the first allowable range, and when the remaining gas amount is not within the second allowable range, cancels the regular replacement period set by the period determination unit and resets the regular replacement period.

4. A portable gas fuel supply management system as described in any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the period search unit calculates the next provisional use period based on an adjustment coefficient predetermined according to the remaining gas amount at the time of replacing the gas container and the previous provisional use period.

5. The portable gas fuel supply management system according to claim 4, characterized in that the period search unit sets the provisional use period based on the adjustment coefficient corresponding to the remaining amount of gas until the regular replacement period is determined, and sets the provisional use period based on a second adjustment coefficient corresponding to the remaining amount of gas after the regular replacement period is canceled.

6. A portable gas fuel supply management system as described in any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that when a gas shortage occurs before the scheduled replacement date, the regular replacement period is canceled, and the period search unit re-searches for the allowable period and resets the regular replacement period.

7. A portable gas fuel supply management system as described in claim 6, characterized in that when re-searching for the allowable period following the cancellation of the regular replacement period, the re-search is performed using an adjustment coefficient different from the adjustment coefficient used in the search before the cancellation of the regular replacement period and / or an allowable range different from the first allowable range.

8. A method for managing the replacement timing of a portable gas fuel filling container in a user facility that uses propane gas or other portable gas fuel, the method managing the next replacement timing of a gas container filled with the portable gas fuel for each facility identifier assigned to the user facility by a computer, comprising: The computer includes: a period search step of calculating a provisional use period as the period of use of the gas container until the next replacement of the gas container and setting a scheduled date for the next replacement of the gas container based on the provisional use period each time the gas container is replaced until a periodic replacement period, which is a confirmed period of use of the gas container, is determined, and searching for an allowable period during which the remaining amount of gas in the portable gas fuel on the date of replacement of the gas container falls within a first allowable range; A period determination step of determining the regular replacement period for each equipment identifier based on the allowable period searched for by the period search step; The period search step includes a step of calculating the next provisional use period by multiplying the previous provisional use period by an adjustment coefficient corresponding to the remaining gas amount at the time of replacement every time the gas container is replaced until the periodic replacement period is determined, and setting the next scheduled replacement date of the gas container based on the next provisional use period; and a step of setting the next scheduled replacement date of the gas container based on the periodic replacement period every time the gas container is replaced after the periodic replacement period is determined. A method for managing the replacement timing of a portable gas fuel filling container, comprising:

9. The method for managing the replacement time of a portable gas fuel filling container as described in claim 8, characterized in that the period determination step determines the permissible period as the regular replacement period when the remaining gas amount after the temporary use period has elapsed is within the permissible period at least twice.

10. The method for managing the replacement time of a portable gas fuel filling container as described in claim 8 or 9, characterized in that the period determination step, after the regular replacement period is determined, verifies whether the remaining gas amount is within a second allowable range which is a wider range that includes the first allowable range, and if the remaining gas amount is not within the second allowable range, cancels the regular replacement period of the period determination unit and resets the regular replacement period.

11. A method for managing the replacement time of a portable gas fuel filling container as described in any one of claims 8 to 10, characterized in that the period search step calculates the next temporary use period based on an adjustment coefficient predetermined according to the remaining gas amount at the time of replacement of the gas container and the previous temporary use period.

12. 12. The method for managing the replacement timing of a portable gas fuel filling container according to any one of claims 8 to 11, characterized in that, when gas runs out before the scheduled replacement date, the period search step cancels the regular replacement period, and the period search unit re-searches for the allowable period and resets the regular replacement period.

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