Parcel Boxes and Programs

Abstract

To make more efficient a collection work.SOLUTION: There is provided a delivery box for temporarily storing packages that are the target of a pickup request from a pickup requester to a delivery company, wherein the home delivery box is provided with a control unit for controlling locking and unlocking of the home delivery box, and the control unit has at least two control modes of a pickup mode in which an authorized person who has the authority to unlock the delivery box is limited to the pickup requester, and a pickup security mode in which the authorized persons are limited to the pickup requester and the delivery company.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a delivery box and a program. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, devices that temporarily store items delivered by delivery companies have been developed. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a parcel box that can be placed in a residence. With the device disclosed in Patent Document 1, a user can receive deliveries even when the user is not at home. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2021-112436 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, the use of the device disclosed in Patent Document 1 is limited to temporary storage of deliveries delivered by a delivery company.

[0005] Therefore, the present invention has been made in consideration of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to make collection work more efficient. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to solve the above problems, according to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a delivery box for temporarily storing collection items that are the subject of a collection request from a collection requester to a delivery company, the delivery box comprising a control unit that controls locking and unlocking of the delivery box, the control unit having at least two control modes: a collection mode that limits the authorized person with the authority to unlock the delivery box to the collection requester, and a collection security mode that limits the authorized person to the collection requester and the delivery company.

[0007] In addition, in order to solve the above problem, according to another aspect of the present invention, a program is provided that causes a computer to realize a control function for controlling the locking and unlocking of a delivery box for temporarily storing packages that are the subject of a collection request from a collection requester to a delivery company, and causes the control function to realize operations according to at least two control modes: a collection mode in which the authorized person having the authority to unlock the delivery box is limited to the collection requester, and a collection security mode in which the authorized person is limited to the collection requester and the delivery company. Effect of the Invention

[0008] As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to make collection operations more efficient. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] 1 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a system 1 according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] 10 is an explanatory diagram for explaining specific examples of control modes of delivery box 10 according to the embodiment. FIG. [Diagram 3] 10 is an explanatory diagram for explaining an example of a display screen displayed by the information terminal 30 according to the embodiment. FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating control modes of a delivery box 10 according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is a sequence diagram showing an example of the flow of operations of the system 1. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a sequence diagram showing an example of the flow of operations of the system 1. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0010] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In this specification and the drawings, components having substantially the same functional configurations are designated by the same reference numerals, and duplicated explanations will be omitted.

[0011] <1. First embodiment> <<1.1. Configuration example>> 1 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a system 1 according to a first embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the system 1 according to the present embodiment includes a delivery box 10, a server 20, and an information terminal 30.

[0012] (Delivery Box 10) The delivery box 10 is an example of a key device. The delivery box 10 is a device for temporarily storing items to be delivered by a delivery person. The delivery box 10 includes a control unit 110 and a communication unit 120 as shown in FIG.

[0013] The control unit 110 controls the overall operation of the delivery box 10. The control unit 110 controls, for example, various communications by the communication unit 120. For example, the control unit 110 causes the communication unit 120 to transmit storage information regarding whether or not an item is stored in the delivery box 10.

[0014] The storage information regarding whether an item is stored in the delivery box 10 may be obtained, for example, by an unlocking operation by a user. For example, in the initial state when the delivery box 10 is installed, the storage information of the delivery box 10 includes that no item is stored in the delivery box 10. Then, for example, when a delivery company unlocks the delivery box 10 by an unlocking operation and stores an item in the delivery box 10, the storage information of the delivery box 10 includes that an item is stored in the delivery box 10. Furthermore, when a recipient of the stored item (i.e., the owner of the item) unlocks the delivery box 10 by an unlocking operation and collects the stored item, the storage information of the delivery box 10 again includes that no item is stored in the delivery box 10. In this way, the storage information of the delivery box 10 may be updated depending on the number of unlocking operations and the user who performed the unlocking operation.

[0015] Furthermore, the storage information regarding whether or not an item is stored in the delivery box 10 may be acquired based on sensing information collected by any sensor capable of detecting whether or not an item is stored in the delivery box 10. Note that sensors capable of detecting whether or not an item is stored include, for example, an infrared sensor or a load sensor.

[0016] Furthermore, the control unit 110 sets a control mode that restricts the authorized person who can unlock the delivery box 10 based on the authorized person information received from the server 20. For example, when the control unit 110 receives first authorized person information described later from the server 20, it sets a normal mode, which is an example of the first control mode. Furthermore, when the control unit 110 receives second authorized person information described later from the server 20, it may set a security mode, which is an example of the second control mode. Note that the normal mode is a control mode in which the owner of the delivery box 10 (e.g., the owner of the delivery box 10) or the deliverer who delivers the item (e.g., the delivery company) is the authorized person who can unlock the delivery box 10. Furthermore, the security mode is a control mode in which the recipient who receives the item is the authorized person who can unlock the delivery box. Details of the control modes will be described later.

[0017] In the following description, the delivery box 10 transmits storage information indicating whether an item is stored in the delivery box 10 to the server 20, and receives authority information based on the storage information from the server 20. An example in which the control unit 110 sets the control mode based on the received authority information will be described, but the present embodiment is not limited to this example. For example, the control unit 110 may set the control mode depending on whether an item is stored. In this case, the control unit 110 may set the normal mode when no item is stored in the delivery box 10, and may set the security mode when an item is stored in the delivery box 10. The communication unit 120 may transmit the control mode set in the delivery box 10 to the server 20 as storage information corresponding to whether an item is stored.

[0018] The control unit 110 also controls the unlocking or locking of the delivery box 10. For example, the control unit 110 unlocks the delivery box 10 based on an unlocking operation by the user of the delivery box 10. The unlocking operation may be performed based on user information of the user of the delivery box 10. For example, when the user information received by the communication unit 120 from the communication unit 320 of the information terminal 30 corresponds to the control mode set in the delivery box 10, the control unit 110 may permit the unlocking operation. The control unit 110 also locks the delivery box 10 based on a locking operation by a user who has stored or collected an item. At this time, the delivery person may register user information, which is the recipient of the item, in the delivery box 10. The control unit 110 may then set a security mode in which only the recipient indicated by the user information registered by the delivery person can perform the unlocking operation.

[0019] The functions of the control unit 110 can be realized by cooperation of a processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) or an MCU (Micro Controller Unit), software, and a storage medium such as a ROM (Read Only Memory) or a RAM (Random Access Memory).

[0020] The communication unit 120 transmits and receives signals including various information between the communication unit 220 included in the server 20 and the communication unit 320 included in the information terminal 30. For example, the communication unit 120 transmits storage information regarding whether or not an item has been stored in the delivery box 10 to the communication unit 220 included in the server 20 under the control of the control unit 110. The communication unit 120 also receives, from the communication unit 220, authorized person information based on the transmitted storage information. The communication unit 120 also receives user information from the communication unit 320 included in the information terminal 30.

[0021] The communication unit 120 may communicate with the server 20 via the Internet, for example. The communication unit 120 may also perform wireless communication with the information terminal 30 in accordance with a prescribed communication standard.

[0022] An example of the above-mentioned prescribed communication standard is Bluetooth (registered trademark) Low Energy (BLE).

[0023] (Server 20) The server 20 is an example of a communication device. The server 20 includes a control unit 210 and a communication unit 220, as shown in FIG.

[0024] The control unit 210 controls the overall operation of the server 20. The control unit 210 causes the communication unit 220 to transmit, for example, authorized person information based on the deposit information received by the communication unit 220.

[0025] For example, when the storage information received by the communication unit 220 includes information that no item is stored in the delivery box 10, the control unit 210 causes the communication unit 220 to transmit first authorized person information. In addition, when the storage information received by the communication unit 220 includes information that an item is stored in the delivery box 10, the control unit 210 causes the communication unit 220 to transmit second authorized person information corresponding to the item stored in the delivery box 10.

[0026] Here, the first authorized person information may be, for example, information regarding a user of the delivery box 10, a deliverer (e.g., a delivery company, etc.) who delivers an item to the delivery box 10, or an owner of the delivery box 10 (e.g., the owner of the delivery box 10, etc.). The second authorized person information may be, for example, information regarding a user of the delivery box 10, an owner of an item stored in the delivery box 10 (e.g., a recipient of the item, etc.). The information regarding the owner of the item is, for example, user information determined by registration of the owner of the item, and may be, for example, an account ID (Identification), which is information unique to the user.

[0027] Furthermore, the control unit 210 transmits information about the delivery box 10 that the user can unlock to the information terminal 30 used by the user, in accordance with the storage information received from each of the multiple delivery boxes 10. Here, the information about the delivery box 10 includes, for example, location information of the delivery box 10 and the identification number of the delivery box 10.

[0028] The control unit 210 controls the transmission of information on the delivery box 10 that the user can unlock based on the control mode received from each of the multiple delivery boxes 10 and the user information of the user to the information terminal 30 used by the user. For example, the communication unit 220 transmits information on the delivery box 10 set to the normal mode to the information terminal 30 used by the deliverer according to the control of the control unit 210. Also, the communication unit 220 transmits information on the delivery box 10 set to the security mode to the information terminal 30 used by the recipient according to the control of the control unit 210. Note that the control unit 210 may determine the information terminal 30 used by the deliverer and the information terminal 30 used by the recipient based on the user information described later. Also, the communication unit 220 may receive user information registered as a recipient of an item from the delivery box 10, and transmit information on the delivery box 10 in which the item is stored to the information terminal 30 of the user included in the user information.

[0029] The functions of the control unit 210 can be realized by cooperation of a processor such as a CPU or an MCU, software, and a storage medium such as a ROM or a RAM.

[0030] The communication unit 220 transmits and receives signals including various information between the communication unit 120 included in the delivery box 10 and the communication unit 320 included in the information terminal 30. For example, the communication unit 220 transmits authorized person information based on the storage information of the delivery box 10 to the communication unit 120 included in the delivery box 10 under the control of the control unit 210. The communication unit 220 may also transmit information about delivery boxes 10 that can be unlocked by the user to the communication unit 320 included in the information terminal 30 under the control of the control unit 210. For example, of the multiple delivery boxes 10, the communication unit 220 may transmit position information of delivery boxes 10 that can be unlocked by the deliverer to the communication unit 320 included in the information terminal 30 held by the deliverer.

[0031] (Information terminal 30) The information terminal 30 is an example of a communication terminal. The information terminal 30 is a communication terminal used by users of multiple delivery boxes 10. The information terminal 30 is, for example, various terminals such as a smartphone, a PC (Personal Computer), or a tablet terminal. As shown in FIG. 1, the information terminal 30 includes a control unit 310, a communication unit 320, and an operation display unit 330.

[0032] The control unit 310 controls the overall operation of the information terminal 30. The control unit 310 causes the communication unit 320 to transmit user information, for example.

[0033] In addition, the control unit 310 may control the display on the operation display unit 330 of the delivery box 10 that can be unlocked by the user of the delivery box 10 (the owner of the information terminal 30) in accordance with information received from the server 20 about the delivery box 10 that can be unlocked by the user who possesses the information terminal 30.

[0034] The functions of the control unit 310 can be realized by cooperation of a processor such as a CPU or an MCU, software, and a storage medium such as a ROM or a RAM.

[0035] The communication unit 320 transmits and receives signals including various information between the communication unit 120 included in the delivery box 10 and the communication unit 220 included in the server 20. For example, the communication unit 320 transmits user information about the user of the delivery box 10 to the communication unit 120 included in the delivery box 10 under the control of the control unit 310. In addition, the communication unit 320 receives information about the delivery box 10 that the user can unlock from the communication unit 220 included in the server 20.

[0036] The operation display unit 330 functions as a display unit that displays a display screen including information about the delivery box 10 that can be unlocked by a user who possesses the information terminal 30. The operation display unit 330 also functions as an operation unit through which a user of the delivery box 10 registers user information. The user information may be, for example, the same as or corresponding to the authorized person information described above. For example, the user information includes information about a person who stores an item in the delivery box 10 (e.g., a delivery company, etc.). The owner of the delivery box 10 includes information about the owner of the delivery box 10 (e.g., the owner of the delivery box 10, etc.). The user who uses the delivery box 10 but is not the owner of the delivery box 10 includes information about the recipient.

[0037] The function of the operation display unit is realized by, for example, a touch panel, a CRT (Cathode Ray Tube) display device, an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) device, or an OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diode) device.

[0038] An example of the configuration of the system 1 according to this embodiment has been described above. Next, the operation of the system 1 according to this embodiment will be described in detail.

[0039] <<1.2.Details>> (overview) In recent years, there is a demand for installing delivery boxes in various types of residences such as individual homes and apartment buildings. For example, when a delivery box is installed in an individual home, the main users of the delivery box are the owner of the delivery box and a delivery company that delivers items to the delivery box.

[0040] Furthermore, it is expected that the owner of the delivery box may allow others to use (share) the delivery box that he or she owns. In such a case, the users of the delivery box include not only the owner and the delivery company, but also the recipient, who is the owner of the items stored in the delivery box.

[0041] In this way, when a sharing service in which multiple delivery boxes are shared is envisioned, it is desirable to keep the delivery boxes closed at all times in order to prevent tampering with the delivery boxes. On the other hand, if the delivery boxes are kept closed at all times, it becomes necessary for the delivery company to have the authority to always be able to unlock the delivery boxes. In this way, if the delivery company always has the authority to unlock the boxes, security issues may arise.

[0042] Therefore, server 20 according to the present embodiment receives storage information of delivery box 10, and transmits to delivery box 10 authority information regarding an authority that can unlock delivery box 10 based on the received storage information. Then, delivery box 10 according to the present embodiment sets a control mode regarding the authority to unlock delivery box 10 according to the authority information received from server 20. This makes it possible to limit the authority that can unlock delivery box 10 depending on whether an item is stored therein, thereby further improving security.

[0043] (User registration) First, a user of a delivery box 10 registers user information prior to using the sharing service for multiple delivery boxes 10. Here, the user information includes, for example, classification information regarding whether the user is a delivery company or a general user who is not a delivery company. Furthermore, a general user who owns a delivery box 10 may also register information regarding the delivery box 10 that he or she owns. Furthermore, the user information of a general user may include various information such as the user's name, address, contact information, etc.

[0044] The user may use, for example, information terminal 30 or another information terminal such as a PC to register the above-mentioned user information through an application for users of the delivery box 10 sharing service.

[0045] (Control mode of parcel box 10) As described above, the delivery box 10 according to the present embodiment sets a control mode that restricts the authorized person who can unlock the delivery box 10 depending on whether an item is stored in the delivery box 10. For example, the control unit 110 sets a control mode related to the authority of the unlocking operation depending on whether an item is stored in the delivery box 10. Alternatively, the control unit 110 sets a control mode related to the authority of the unlocking operation based on the authorized person information received from the server 20. For example, the communication unit 220 included in the server 20 receives storage information related to whether an item is stored in the delivery box 10 from the communication unit 120 included in the delivery box 10. Then, the communication unit 220 transmits the authorized person information based on the storage information of the delivery box 10 to the communication unit 120. Then, the control unit 110 included in the delivery box 10 sets a control mode related to the authority of the unlocking operation based on the received authorized person information.

[0046] FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram for explaining a specific example of the control mode of the delivery box 10 according to the present embodiment. For example, when the communication unit 120 transmits storage information including the fact that an item is stored in the delivery box 10 to the communication unit 220 provided in the server 20, the communication unit 220 transmits second authorized person information corresponding to the stored item to the communication unit 120. Then, the control unit 110 provided in the delivery box 10 sets a control mode based on the second authorized person information received by the communication unit 120. For example, the control unit 110 may set a security mode as a control mode in which only the recipient who is the owner of the item included in the second authorized person information can unlock the delivery box 10. When the security mode is set, as shown in FIG. 2, only the recipient has the authority to unlock the delivery box 10, and the owner of the delivery box 10, the delivery company, or other general users do not have the authority to unlock the delivery box 10. For example, the control unit 110 may permit the unlocking operation of the delivery box 10 when the recipient inputs a PIN number registered when requesting delivery of an item into the delivery box 10, or may permit the unlocking operation of the delivery box 10 when the user information received from the information terminal 30 includes information that the recipient is the recipient. This prevents users of the delivery box 10 other than the recipient, who is the owner of the item, from accessing the item, and the security of the delivery box 10 can be further improved. In addition, if the item stored in the delivery box 10 is not collected by the recipient for a certain period of time, the control unit 210 may transmit, to the delivery box 10, authorized person information that allows the owner of the delivery box 10 to perform an unlocking operation. This can eliminate inconveniences such as the owner of the delivery box 10 being unable to use the delivery box 10 that he or she owns for a long period of time.

[0047] Furthermore, when the communication unit 120 transmits storage information including the fact that no item is stored in the delivery box 10 to the communication unit 220 included in the server 20, the communication unit 220 transmits first authorized person information to the communication unit 120. Then, the control unit 110 included in the delivery box 10 sets a control mode based on the first authorized person information received by the communication unit 120. For example, the control unit 110 may set a normal mode as a control mode in which only the delivery company who stores the item included in the first authorized person information or the owner who owns the delivery box 10 can unlock the delivery box 10. When the normal mode is set, the delivery company and the owner have the authority to unlock the delivery box 10, and other users do not have the authority to unlock the delivery box 10. For example, the control unit 110 may permit the unlocking operation of the delivery box 10 when a PIN number registered in advance by a delivery company or the owner is entered into the delivery box 10, or may permit the unlocking operation of the delivery box 10 when the user information received by the communication unit 120 from the information terminal 30 includes information that the user is a delivery company or the owner. This can prevent other general users or people who are not the user from using the delivery box 10 for reasons other than the intended purpose.

[0048] Even if the delivery box 10 is set to security mode, when the owner of the delivery box 10 uses his or her own delivery box 10, the owner, as the recipient, has the authority to unlock the delivery box 10.

[0049] (2.4. Specific examples of display screens) The communication unit 220 included in the server 20 transmits information about the delivery boxes 10 that the user can unlock to the information terminal 30 used by the user, in accordance with the storage information received from each of the multiple delivery boxes 10. Then, the information terminal 30 may display a display screen including the information about the delivery boxes 10 that the user can unlock, received from the server 20.

[0050] 3 is an explanatory diagram for explaining an example of a display screen displayed by the information terminal 30. In the following explanation, an example will be explained in which the user of the delivery box 10 is a delivery company U. For example, the information terminal 30 owned by the delivery company U receives, from the server 20, location information of a delivery box 10 that can be unlocked by the delivery company U. Here, the delivery box 10 that can be unlocked by the delivery company U is, as described above, a delivery box 10 in which the normal mode is set, that is, a delivery box 10 in which no items are stored.

[0051] When a delivery company U uses an information terminal 30 to search for a delivery box 10 capable of storing an item, the operation display unit 330 may, for example, control the display of a display screen DS including the home location L of the recipient who is the owner of the item, and a delivery box 10 that the delivery company U can unlock.

[0052] For example, the communication unit 320 receives location information of the delivery box 10 for which the normal mode is set from the communication unit 220. In this case, the operation display unit 330 may display the location of the delivery box 10 on the display screen DS as a delivery box 10 that the delivery company U can unlock. In addition, when the delivery boxes 10 for which the normal mode is set include a delivery box 10 owned by the recipient of the item, the operation display unit 330 may display the delivery box 10 owned by the recipient of the item in a more emphasized manner compared to the other delivery boxes 10. This allows the delivery person to preferentially store the item in the delivery box 10 owned by the owner, and the recipient to save the trouble of going to a delivery box 10 that is not owned by the recipient to collect the item.

[0053] Also, for example, the operation display unit 330 may not display the location B2 of a delivery box 10 on the display screen DS for a delivery box in which security mode is set, since the delivery box 10 cannot be unlocked by the delivery company U. Alternatively, the operation display unit 330 may display a suppressed display of the delivery box 10 on the display screen DS, such as by reducing the size of the delivery box 10, as a delivery box 10 that cannot be unlocked by the delivery company U, or may also display a notice such as "unavailable." This allows the user of the delivery box 10 to check only the locations of delivery boxes 10 that are available, and the information terminal 30 may further improve the convenience of the user.

[0054] The operation display unit 330 may also display a display screen DS that distinguishes between the locations of delivery boxes set in normal mode and the locations of delivery boxes set in security mode. For example, the operation display unit 330 may also display supplemental information such as "empty" at the location of a delivery box 10 set in normal mode.

[0055] Also, for example, if the user is a recipient, the operation display unit 330 may display only the location of the delivery box 10 in which the recipient's item is stored on the display screen DS. Also, the operation display unit 330 may highlight the location of the delivery box 10 in which the recipient's item is stored, compared with the location of the delivery box 10 in which the recipient's item is not stored. This allows the recipient to more easily recognize the location of the delivery box 10 in which the item he or she wishes to collect is stored.

[0056] As described above, according to the server 20 according to this embodiment, it is possible to cause the information terminal 30 to display the positions of delivery boxes 10 that can be unlocked by the user of the delivery box 10. This allows the user to recognize in advance the delivery boxes 10 that can be unlocked, and the convenience of the delivery box 10 for the user can be further improved.

[0057] <2. Second embodiment> <<2.1. Overview>> Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. In the above first embodiment, the delivery box 10 is used for temporarily storing deliveries. On the other hand, the delivery box 10 according to the second embodiment of the present invention realizes the temporary storage of deliveries, as well as the temporary storage of parcels that are the subject of a collection request from a collection requester to a delivery company.

[0058] In the following, the explanation will focus on the differences between the first and second embodiments, and detailed explanations of configurations, functions, effects, etc. common to the first and second embodiments will be omitted.

[0059] For example, the system 1 according to the second embodiment of the present invention may have a configuration equivalent to the configuration shown in Fig. 1. Therefore, the following description will focus on the functions characteristic of the second embodiment.

[0060] As described above, delivery boxes installed in private homes, etc., allow the recipient to receive deliveries even when the recipient is not at home, and the delivery company does not need to redeliver the package if the recipient is not at home, thereby improving convenience for both the recipient and the delivery company.

[0061] However, the services of a delivery company are not limited to the delivery of packages, and include, for example, a collection service in which the delivery company receives a request from a collection requester and collects an item from the residence or other location of the collection requester.

[0062] By using the collection service, the person requesting the collection of an item can enjoy the advantage of not having to bring the item to the delivery company's office, but the person must wait at their residence during the time when the delivery company comes to collect the item. There is also the inconvenience of not being able to specify the exact time when the delivery company will come to collect the item.

[0063] In response to this, the delivery company has to carry out collection work by visiting the residence of the person requesting collection during the designated time period to collect the goods, in addition to the normal delivery work, which increases the burden on the delivery company. Also, there are many cases where the delivery company has to make a second visit because the person requesting collection is not at home during the designated time period.

[0064] The technical concept of the second embodiment of the present invention has been conceived with attention to the above points, and is intended to make collection operations more efficient for both collection requesters and delivery companies.

[0065] For this reason, the delivery box 10 of the second embodiment of the present invention has, in addition to the normal mode (first control mode) and security mode (second control mode) described in the first embodiment, a collection mode (also referred to as the third control mode) and a collection security mode (also referred to as the fourth control mode).

[0066] Hereinafter, the operation of the delivery box 10 in the collection mode and the secure collection mode according to the second embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail.

[0067] <<2.2.Details>> FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating control modes of delivery box 10 according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

[0068] As shown in FIG. 4, the delivery box 10 according to this embodiment has four control modes: a normal mode, a security mode, a collection mode, and a collection security mode.

[0069] The collection mode according to this embodiment is a control mode in which, as shown in FIG. 4, an authorized person who has the authority to unlock the delivery box 10 is limited to a collection requester who requests a delivery company to collect an item.

[0070] That is, in the collection mode according to this embodiment, only the collection requester can unlock the delivery box 10. This makes it possible to avoid a situation in which the collection requester is unable to use the delivery box 10 due to the delivery company storing the delivery item, the owner of the delivery box 10 temporarily using the delivery box 10, or the like.

[0071] On the other hand, the collection security mode according to the present embodiment is a control mode in which the persons authorized to unlock the delivery box 10 are limited to the collection requester and the delivery company, as shown in FIG.

[0072] That is, in the collection security mode according to this embodiment, the collection requester and only the collection requester can unlock the delivery box 10. This allows the delivery company to collect the collection, and allows the collection requester to confirm and add the collection. Furthermore, it is possible to prevent the collection of the collection by a third party.

[0073] The delivery box 10 according to the second embodiment of the present invention may be shared by multiple users, similar to the delivery box 10 according to the first embodiment. According to the operation described below, the delivery box 10 can be shared by multiple collection requesters.

[0074] An example of the flow of operations of the system 1 according to this embodiment will be described below. Figures 5 and 6 are sequence diagrams showing an example of the flow of operations of the system 1 according to this embodiment.

[0075] 5, 6, and in the following description, the information terminal 30 used by the person requesting collection is referred to as a requester terminal 32. The information terminal 30 used by the owner of the delivery box 10 is referred to as an owner terminal 34. The information terminal 30 used by the delivery company is referred to as a company terminal 36.

[0076] In the example shown in FIG. 5 and FIG. 6, first, the collection requester operates the operation display unit 330 of the requester terminal 32 to apply for collection service (S102).

[0077] The application for collection use may be an application to the owner of the delivery box 10 requesting permission to use the delivery box 10 for collection of goods.

[0078] The communication unit 320 of the requester terminal 32 transmits information related to the collection application to the server 20.

[0079] Next, the communication unit 220 of the server 20 transfers the information related to the collection application received in step S102 to the owner terminal 34 (S104).

[0080] The owner of the delivery box 10 checks the information related to the collection service application transferred in step S104, and if he or she approves the collection requester's use of the service, operates the operation display unit 330 of the owner terminal 34 to approve the use of the service (S106).

[0081] The communication unit 320 of the owner terminal 34 transmits information related to the collection utilization approval to the server 20.

[0082] Next, the communication unit 220 of the server 20 transfers the information related to the collection utilization approval received in step S106 to the requester terminal 32 (S108).

[0083] Furthermore, the control unit 210 of the server 20 causes the communication unit 220 to transmit third authorized person information to the delivery box 10 based on the information related to the collection utilization approval received in step S106 (S110).

[0084] As described in the first embodiment, the authorized person information in the present disclosure is information that designates a user (authorized person) who has the authority to unlock the delivery box 10. For this reason, the third authorized person information according to the present embodiment may include user information (e.g., ID, etc.) related to the collection requester who applied for collection use in step S102.

[0085] The control unit 110 of the delivery box 10 transitions to a collection mode based on the third authorized person information received by the communication unit 120 in step S110 (S112).

[0086] In this way, the control unit 110 of the delivery box 10 in this embodiment may transition to the collection mode in accordance with the third authority information that is set based on the owner of the delivery box 10 approving a collection service application from a collection requester.

[0087] According to the above-described control, it is possible to avoid a situation in which the delivery box 10 is used by the delivery company to store deliveries, and the delivery box 10 is unavailable to the person requesting collection.

[0088] On the other hand, the collection requester who has confirmed the collection utilization approval transferred in step S108 moves to the vicinity of the home delivery box 10 with the parcel that is the subject of the collection request to the delivery company.

[0089] Then, the collection requester performs an operation to unlock the delivery box 10 on the operation display unit 330 of the requester terminal 32. Based on the unlocking operation, the control unit 310 of the requester terminal 32 causes the communication unit 320 to transmit user information of the collection requester to the delivery box 10 (S114).

[0090] Next, the control unit 110 of the delivery box 10 determines whether to unlock the delivery box 10 based on the current control mode, i.e., the collection mode, to which it has been transitioned based on the third authorized person information and the user information received in step S114.

[0091] When the control unit 110 determines that the user information received in step S114 is related to the collection requester designated by the third authorized person information, it unlocks the delivery box 10 (S116).

[0092] In this way, the control unit 110 in this embodiment may unlock the delivery box 10 if it is recognized, based on the user information, that the user using the information terminal 30 that sent the user information is an authorized person set for each control mode.

[0093] The person requesting collection places the package in the unlocked delivery box 10 and locks it.

[0094] The control unit 110 of the delivery box 10 detects the placement of the collected parcel by the detection method described in the first embodiment (S118).

[0095] Next, based on the detection of the storage of the collected parcels in step S118, the control unit 110 causes the communication unit 120 to transmit storage information indicating that the collected parcels have been stored to the server 20 (S120).

[0096] The control unit 210 of the server 20 causes the communication unit 220 to transmit the fourth authorized person information to the delivery box 10 based on the deposit information received in step S120 (S122).

[0097] The fourth authorized person information according to this embodiment may include user information (eg, ID, etc.) related to the collection requester and user information (eg, ID, etc.) related to the delivery company.

[0098] The control unit 110 of the delivery box 10 transitions to the collection security mode based on the fourth authorized person information received by the communication unit 120 in step S122 (S124).

[0099] In this manner, the control unit 110 according to the present embodiment may transition to the collection security mode when the detection of the placement of a parcel in the delivery box 10 in the collection mode is used as a trigger.

[0100] Meanwhile, the delivery company moves to the vicinity of the delivery box 10 to collect the parcel, and performs an operation to unlock the delivery box 10 on the operation display unit 330 of the company terminal 36. Based on the unlocking operation, the control unit 310 of the company terminal 36 causes the communication unit 320 to transmit user information of the delivery company to the delivery box 10 (S126).

[0101] Next, the control unit 110 of the delivery box 10 determines whether to unlock the delivery box 10 based on the current control mode to which it has been transitioned based on the fourth authorized person information, i.e., the collection security mode, and the user information received in step S126.

[0102] If the control unit 110 determines that the user information received in step S126 is related to the collection requester or the delivery company designated by the fourth authorized person information, it unlocks the delivery box 10 (S128).

[0103] In this way, the control unit 110 in this embodiment may unlock the delivery box 10 if it is recognized, based on the user information, that the user using the information terminal 30 that sent the user information is an authorized person set for each control mode.

[0104] The delivery company collects the parcel from the unlocked parcel box 10 and locks it.

[0105] The control unit 110 of the delivery box 10 detects the collection of the collected parcel by the detection method described in the first embodiment (S130).

[0106] Next, based on the detection of the collection of the collected parcels in step S130, the control unit 110 causes the communication unit 120 to transmit storage information indicating that the collected parcels have not been stored to the server 20 (S132).

[0107] The control unit 210 of the server 20 causes the communication unit 220 to transmit the first authorized person information to the delivery box 10 based on the storage information received in step S132 (S134).

[0108] The above first authority information may be information equivalent to the first authority information described in the first embodiment.

[0109] Control unit 110 of delivery box 10 transitions to the normal mode based on the first authorized person information received by communication unit 120 in step S134 (S136).

[0110] In this way, the control unit in this embodiment may transition to a normal mode in which authorized persons are limited to the delivery company and the owner of the delivery box 10, triggered by detection of collection of a parcel from the delivery box 10 in the collection security mode.

[0111] According to the above-described control, it is possible to eliminate the hassle of the owner having to reset the control mode after the collection operation is completed, thereby improving convenience.

[0112] The above describes the operation flow of the system 1 according to the present embodiment. However, the above-described operation flow is merely an example, and the operation flow of the system 1 according to the present embodiment is not limited to this example.

[0113] For example, if the person requesting collection is the same person as the owner of the delivery box 10, the application and approval process as shown in FIG. 5 may be omitted.

[0114] Moreover, the modifications described in the first embodiment can also be applied to the second embodiment.

[0115] <3. Supplementary Information>

[0116] Although the preferred embodiment of the present invention has been described in detail above with reference to the accompanying drawings, the present invention is not limited to such an example. It is clear that a person having ordinary knowledge in the technical field to which the present invention pertains can conceive of various modified or altered examples within the scope of the technical ideas described in the claims, and it is understood that these also naturally belong to the technical scope of the present invention.

[0117] In addition, the effects described in this specification are merely descriptive or exemplary and are not limiting. In other words, the technology according to the present disclosure may achieve other effects that are apparent to a person skilled in the art from the description of this specification, in addition to or in place of the above effects.

[0118] Furthermore, the series of processes performed by each device described in this specification may be realized using any of software, hardware, and a combination of software and hardware. The programs constituting the software are provided, for example, inside or outside each device and stored in advance in a non-transitory computer readable storage medium that is readable by a computer. Each program is loaded into a RAM when executed by a computer, and executed by a processor such as a CPU. The storage medium is, for example, a magnetic disk, an optical disk, a magneto-optical disk, a flash memory, etc. Furthermore, the computer programs may be distributed, for example, via a network, without using a storage medium. [Explanation of symbols]

[0119] 1: system, 10: delivery box, 110: control unit, 120: communication unit, 20: server, 210: control unit, 220: communication unit, 30: information terminal, 310: control unit, 320: communication unit, 330: operation display unit

Claims

1. A delivery box for temporarily storing parcels that are the subject of a collection request from a collection requester to a delivery company, A control unit for controlling locking and unlocking of the delivery box; Equipped with The control unit has at least two control modes: a collection mode in which an authorized person having the authority to unlock the delivery box is limited to the collection requester, and a collection security mode in which the authorized person is limited to the collection requester and the delivery company; The control unit transitions to the collection mode based on the fact that the owner of the delivery box has approved the collection application from the collection requester. Delivery box.

2. The control unit transitions to the security collection mode when it is detected that the package has been stored in the delivery box in the package collection mode. The delivery box according to claim 1.

3. When the control unit detects that the parcel has been collected from the delivery box in the parcel collection security mode, the control unit transitions to a normal mode, which is one of the control modes and limits the authorized person to the delivery company and the owner of the delivery box. A delivery box according to claim 1 or 2.

4. a communication unit that performs wireless communication conforming to a prescribed communication standard with an information terminal carried by a user who uses the delivery box; Further equipped with The control unit determines whether to unlock the delivery box based on the user information received by the communication unit from the information terminal and the control mode. A delivery box according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

5. The control unit unlocks the delivery box when it is determined that the user is the authorized person set for each control mode based on the user information. The delivery box according to claim 4.

6. Shared by a plurality of collection requesters, A delivery box according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

7. On the computer, A control function for controlling the locking and unlocking of a delivery box for temporarily storing parcels that are the subject of a collection request from a collection requester to a delivery company; Realize this, The control function is made to realize operations according to at least two control modes, a collection mode in which an authorized person having the authority to unlock the delivery box is limited to the collection requester, and a collection security mode in which the authorized person is limited to the collection requester and the delivery company, causing the control function to execute a transition to the collection mode based on the owner of the delivery box approving a collection application from the collection requester; program.

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