Funeral arrangement reception system

Abstract

To provide a funeral arrangement reception system capable of providing consultation and arrangement support for funerals etc. without the intervention of an operator. [Solution] In a funeral arrangement reception system (1), a request confirmation unit extracts client information and the request for the funeral from a natural language conversation with the client via a call received by the client's telephone unit. The request includes arrangements for a hearse transport vehicle, and client information and the request are extracted through questions. The client information includes at least the client's name, telephone number, and relationship to the body. The request includes at least the address or facility name of the transport source, the transport deadline, and the address or mortuary of the transport destination. The database contains a list of hearse transport companies, including the company's address, business hours, and telephone number. When selecting a company, the control unit sorts candidates based on whether their business hours match, and selects from among the candidates a company that is estimated to arrive at the transport source the earliest based on the company's address and the address or facility name of the transport source.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a funeral arrangement reception system, and more particularly to a technology for supporting funeral arrangements without human intervention. [Background technology]

[0002] In the past, when a close relative suddenly passed away, many decisions had to be made in a short space of time, such as how to arrange the funeral and who to contact, placing a heavy burden on the bereaved family. In particular, when someone dies in a hospital late at night, there are few people to consult with, the body needs to be transported quickly, and people often end up requesting funeral arrangements without careful consideration. It is possible to register with a funeral home in advance and decide who to use, but many people choose not to register as it is still a long way off, and as funerals themselves are becoming smaller in scale, there is also a growing demand for direct cremation rather than using a funeral home. There is also a system in place where operators respond to requests for assistance and arrangements over the phone, but this requires 24-hour support, which can often be an excessive burden. Therefore, there was a need for an arrangement system that did not involve an operator, and that could provide consultation and assistance with arrangements regarding funerals, etc., regardless of the circumstances or time of death.

[0003] Various technologies have been proposed for this field. For example, a system that reduces the hassle of making arrangements with a funeral home after a death (see Patent Document 1) has been proposed and is now publicly known. More specifically, when a person who has made a reservation dies, the medical institution terminal creates documents based on the registered details and sends them to the government office terminal and funeral home, and the funeral home terminal makes suggestions about the funeral to those involved based on personal information, etc., and contacts them quickly using email addresses, etc. However, prior registration is required, and in many cases, it is not possible to respond to sudden deaths, and this problem cannot be solved. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2021-144581 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] The present invention aims to provide a system that can provide consultation and support for arrangements for funerals and the like, regardless of the circumstances or time of death, by automatic response without the intervention of an operator. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides a funeral arrangement reception system, which comprises a control unit, a request content confirmation unit, a request content instruction unit, a database unit, a client telephone unit, and a contractor telephone unit, and the request content confirmation unit extracts client information and the request content regarding the funeral from a conversation in natural language with the client via an incoming call on the client telephone unit, and transmits the extracted information to the control unit, and the control unit , applicable A funeral-related business is selected from the request contents and information in the database unit, information on the selected funeral-related business including a telephone number is obtained from the database unit, and the information on the funeral-related business and the request contents are transmitted to the request content instruction unit, the request content instruction unit calls the funeral-related business through the business telephone unit and communicates the request contents to the funeral-related business through a conversation in natural language with the funeral-related business, confirms whether or not the request can be accepted, and obtains request conditions if the request can be accepted, the control unit instructs the request content confirmation unit to notify the requester that the funeral-related business can accept the request and the request conditions, and to confirm whether or not to make a request to the funeral-related business, and when the requester approves the request, the control unit instructs the request content instruction unit to make a business request to the funeral-related business As requester informationThe request content confirmation unit and the request content instruction unit use a voice recognition unit and a voice synthesis unit to converse with the client or the funeral-related business, the request content includes arranging for a hearse transport vehicle, and when extracting the request content, questions are asked including questions about the origin and destination of the transport, the database unit contains a list of hearse transport companies including the company's address, business hours, and telephone number, and when selecting a hearse transport company, the control unit uses the list of hearse transport companies to sort candidates based on whether their business hours match, and employs means to select from the candidates the hearse transport company that is estimated to have the earliest time to arrive at the origin of the transport based on the company's address and the address or facility name of the transport source.

[0007] In addition, the present invention employs a means in which the question includes whether the client wishes to have a direct cremation, the list of funeral home transport companies includes a list of funeral home transport companies for those wishing to have a direct cremation consisting only of companies that can provide direct cremation, and when the control unit selects the funeral home transport company, it uses the list of funeral home transport companies for those wishing to have a direct cremation if the client wishes to have a direct cremation.

[0008] Furthermore, the present invention employs a means in which the request content includes arrangements for a mortuary, the database unit includes a list of mortuary service providers including their addresses, business hours, and telephone numbers, and the control unit selects a mortuary service provider based on their business hours and address, and can change the request content to the funeral transport service provider based on the information of the selected mortuary service provider.

[0009] Furthermore, the present invention employs a means in which the control unit selects the mortuary service provider, taking into account whether or not the person wishes to have a direct cremation.

[0010] Furthermore, the present invention employs a means in which multiple telephone units for the service provider are arranged in relation to one telephone unit for the client, and each unit can make calls simultaneously, and the request content instruction unit can simultaneously converse with multiple funeral-related service providers.

[0011] Furthermore, the present invention provides a method for determining whether or not a part of the questions posed to the client is to be temporary business-specific information, and the control unit selects the funeral-related business from the temporary business-specific information and information from the database unit, notifies the funeral-related business of the temporary business-specific information, and confirms whether or not the request can be provisionally accepted. , dependent The requested business name is arrangement of a hearse transport vehicle, and the information about the transport source is included, and a means is adopted in which the inquiry about the temporary trader-specific information is made first.

[0012] Furthermore, the present invention employs a means for placing a call to the funeral-related business while the client is still on the phone, and for the client's request to the business to be approved while the call with the client is still ongoing. [Effects of the Invention]

[0013] According to the funeral arrangement reception system of the present invention, regardless of the circumstances or time of death, the bereaved family can be consulted about funerals and arrangements can be made, thereby reducing the psychological burden on the bereaved, and since no operator is required, it also helps to reduce the burden on employees. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0014] [Figure 1] 1 is a system diagram showing an embodiment of a funeral arrangement reception system according to the present invention. [Figure 2] 1 is a data table in the funeral arrangement reception system according to the present invention. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a sequence diagram showing the operation of the funeral arrangement reception system according to the present invention. [Figure 4] FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing the flow of inquiries to clients in the funeral arrangement reception system according to the present invention. [Figure 5] 4 is a flowchart showing the operation of a control unit of the funeral arrangement reception system according to the present invention. [Figure 6] 1 is a flowchart showing the process of transportation and consultation with a mortuary service provider in the funeral arrangement reception system according to the present invention. [Figure 7]FIG. 10 is a sequence diagram showing a modified example of the funeral arrangement reception system according to the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0015] The greatest feature of the funeral arrangement reception system of the present invention is that it allows consultation and arrangement of funerals without the intervention of an operator. Hereinafter, an embodiment of a funeral arrangement reception system according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The overall configuration and the configuration of each part of the funeral arrangement reception system according to the present invention are not limited to the examples described below, but can be modified as appropriate within the scope of the technical concept of the present invention, i.e., within the scope of shapes, dimensions, structures, etc. that can achieve the same functional effects. In addition, the term "business operator" includes not only individual business operators, but also funeral business operators operated as business divisions of agricultural cooperatives, etc., and businesses made up of multiple businesses.

[0016] The present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 1 is a system diagram showing an embodiment of a funeral arrangement reception system according to the present invention. Figure 2 is a data table in the funeral arrangement reception system of the present invention, where (a) is a list of all funeral service providers, (b) is a list of funeral service providers for those requesting direct cremation, (c) is a list of all mortuary service providers, (d) is a list of mortuary service providers for those requesting direct cremation, and (e) is a group of data showing the client's information and request details. FIG. 3 is a sequence diagram showing the operation of the funeral arrangement reception system according to the present invention. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing the flow of questions posed to a client in the funeral arrangement reception system according to the present invention. FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the operation of the control unit of the funeral arrangement reception system according to the present invention. Figure 6 is a flowchart of transportation and consultation with mortuary service providers in the funeral arrangement reception system of the present invention, where (a) is a flowchart of consultation with transportation service providers and (b) is a flowchart of consultation with mortuary service providers. FIG. 7 is a sequence diagram showing a modified example of the funeral arrangement reception system according to the present invention.

[0017] In recent years, the number of deaths in hospitals has been increasing. When a person dies in a hospital, the body must be transported to a designated resting place, such as their home, as soon as possible. Therefore, procedures for transporting the body must be completed quickly. If it is known that death is near, preparations for transportation and funeral can be made in advance, but in the case of sudden death, people often do not know how to proceed and are at a loss. In addition, when it comes to requesting the transportation of a body, it is often unclear who to contact. This is especially true when the death occurs late at night, when there are few people to consult with. Therefore, there was a need for a system that would help with funeral arrangements, including transportation. Currently, there are services where operators are available to provide consultation 24 hours a day, but due to recent efforts to improve working conditions, there are also increasing cases where having operators (people) available 24 hours a day becomes problematic. In addition, there is a system that accepts requests using a combination of voice guidance and dial buttons, but this is cumbersome and increases the burden on the bereaved family.

[0018] The funeral arrangement reception system 1 is a system that listens to the client's general funeral requests and arranges for the appropriate funeral service providers without human intervention. By conversing with the requester in natural language, the request details can be confirmed without burdening the bereaved family. This article mainly explains the procedure for requesting the transportation of a hearse, but requests for arrangements for funerals in general can also be made in the same way as for the transportation of a hearse: select a company, make an inquiry with the company, and make the arrangements. For example, if you want to arrange a funeral home, we will help you find one that is close to your address or that meets your desired price. Also, if you want to arrange a coffin, we will help you find a company that is close to your address or that can perform the coffin ceremony you want.

[0019] In this embodiment, assistance in arranging for the transportation of a funeral will be described. The biggest difference between funeral transportation and other funeral services is that the process must be carried out within a few hours of the death of a close relative. If the consultation is about other funeral matters, it is usually done during the day. However, when it comes to transporting the hearse, requests for transportation must be made as soon as possible after the death of a close relative, regardless of the time of day. If a mutual aid society has been decided in advance, all that is needed is to call the person in charge, but it is not uncommon for people to pass away without being able to make such preparations. In such cases, this system can quickly arrange for a contractor.

[0020] The funeral arrangement reception system 1 mainly comprises a control unit 10, a database unit 20, a request content confirmation unit 40, a request content instruction unit 50, a requester telephone unit 30, and a contractor telephone unit 60. The control unit 10 is a part that controls the entire system. In summary, the system confirms the request of the requester I via the requester telephone unit 30 and the request content confirmation unit 40, selects the most suitable contractor using the database unit 20, etc., makes an inquiry to contractor G, and introduces the contractor to the requester I. The control unit 10 receives the requester information and the request contents from the request contents confirmation unit 40. The control unit 10 identifies the requester based on the requester information and selects a contractor based on the request contents. The control unit 10 selects a company G using the request content, the database unit 20, and the arrival time estimation unit 11. More specifically, the control unit 10 reads out a list of applicable companies using the database unit 20, estimates the arrival time of each company using the arrival time estimation unit 11, and selects a company. The control unit 10 instructs the request content instruction unit 50 to sound out the business request to the trader G. Trader G then sends back a response from the trader.

[0021] The request content confirmation unit 40 is a part that extracts and collects the requester information of the requester I and the request content regarding the funeral from a conversation in natural language with the requester I via the call received by the client telephone unit 30. The collected information is sent to the control unit 10. The request content confirmation unit 40 mainly comprises a voice synthesis unit 41, a voice recognition unit 42, and an AI unit 43. The voice synthesis 41 converts the sentence (text) generated by the AI ​​43 into voice data using voice synthesis technology. The generated voice data is transmitted to the client I via the client telephone unit 30. The voice recognition 42 performs voice recognition on the voice sent via the client telephone unit 30 and converts it into text. The voice recognition 42 stores, for example, an acoustic model and a recognition dictionary, compares acquired voice data with the acoustic model to extract features, and matches the extracted features with the recognition dictionary. AI43 is the main part that converses in natural language with client I. Using LLM (large-scale language model) and other technologies, AI43 can collect the request details, etc. from client I in a very natural manner. By making AI43 an AI specialized for funeral-related inquiries, it can provide a smooth response.

[0022] The request content instruction unit 50 is a unit that converses in natural language with the contractor G through the contractor telephone unit 60, contacts the contractor G to inquire about the business, and acquires a response. The acquired information is sent to the control unit 10. The request content instruction unit 50 mainly comprises a voice synthesis unit 51, a voice recognition unit 52, and an AI unit 53. The voice synthesis 51 is based on voice synthesis technology, similar to the voice synthesis 41. It converts the sentence (text) generated by the AI ​​53 into voice data. The generated voice data is transmitted to the trader G via the trader telephone unit 60. The voice recognition 52 is based on voice recognition technology, similar to the voice recognition 42. It recognizes the voice sent via the trader telephone unit 60 and converts it into text. AI53 is the main part for conversing with provider G in natural language. Using LLM (large-scale language model) and other technologies, AI53 can collect responses to inquiries and proposed fees from provider G in a very natural manner. AI53 is an AI specialized for meetings with funeral-related businesses, enabling smooth responses.

[0023] The client telephone unit 30 is a unit that receives calls from the client I and makes calls to the client I. When a call is made from the requester I, the call is received and the requester I is connected to the request content confirmation unit 40. Also, at the instruction of the request content confirmation unit 40, a call is made to the requester I, and after the connection is made, the requester I is connected to the request content confirmation unit 40. The trader telephone unit 60 is the part that makes a call to trader G. There are multiple trader telephone units 60 for one client telephone unit 30. This is efficient because it is possible to make inquiries to multiple traders at the same time. In response to an instruction from the request content instruction unit 50, a call is made to the business operator G, and after the call is connected, the business operator G and the request content instruction unit 50 are connected to each other.

[0024] The database unit 20 has a list of businesses related to funerals (funeral-related businesses). The list includes funeral-related businesses such as hearse carriers, mortuary providers, casket providers, funeral directors, and crematorium providers. Depending on the company, whether or not they can accommodate your request may depend on whether or not the client wishes to have a direct cremation. A direct cremation is a funeral style in which the body is simply cremated without any ceremonies such as a wake or funeral. It is important to consider whether a company can accommodate clients who wish to have a direct cremation. Companies that only provide transportation can generally accommodate this. However, companies that provide a series of services from transporting the body to the funeral may not be able to accommodate requests for a direct cremation. For this reason, the company list is divided into a list of all companies and a list for those wishing to have a direct cremation. The list of all businesses is a list of all related businesses, such as a list of all funeral home carriers, a list of all mortuary businesses, a list of all coffin carriers, etc. The list for those wishing to have a direct cremation is a list that compiles only companies that can accommodate direct cremation when the client wishes to have a direct cremation, and includes a list of hearse transportation companies for those wishing to have a direct cremation, a list of mortuary companies for those wishing to have a direct cremation, and a list of coffin companies for those wishing to have a direct cremation. For example, if the client requests a funeral service and does not wish to have a direct cremation, the list of all funeral service providers is used, and if a direct cremation is desired, the list of funeral service providers for those wishing to have a direct cremation is used. In response to an instruction from the control unit 10, the database unit 20 sends the necessary vendor list to the control unit 10. Furthermore, when the arrangement support is completed, the database unit 20 may store the details of the arrangement as a report in the database unit 20. The arrival time estimation unit 11 is a part that estimates the arrival time at the transport origin for each company based on the address of the body transport origin and the address of the company, which are presented in the request content. The arrival time estimation unit 11 receives the facility name or address of the origin and the list of candidate companies from the control unit 10, and transmits to the control unit 10 the estimated time of arrival of each company at the origin. If the origin of delivery is indicated by the name of a facility, the address corresponding to the facility name is identified by an internet search or the like. From the origin address and the address of the supplier, a route search program or the like is used to calculate the estimated time of arrival at the requested time. The requested time is set to take into account the effects of traffic congestion, etc.

[0025] Next, the data handled in this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. The data for the list of funeral carriers is explained using Figure 2(a) and Figure 2(b). The list of funeral service providers consists of (a) the All Funeral Service List, which includes all funeral service providers, and (b) the List of Funeral Service Providers for Those Hoping for Direct Cremation, which includes only providers that can accommodate direct cremation. The system decides which list to use depending on whether the client wants a direct cremation or not. In accordance with (a), the data items of the list of all funeral carriers are explained. The item on the left is the sequential number for each company list. In the case of the All Hearse Transport Company List, an H is placed at the beginning. The next items are the name of the carrier and the address. The address is the address where the hearse is waiting. There may be cases where the hearse is located in multiple locations. In such cases, there will be multiple addresses. In this embodiment, the carrier's address is important because the carrier's address is used to select a carrier that is close to the origin of the delivery based on the origin location and the carrier's address. The next item is business hours. This indicates the time periods during which transportation is possible. Since funeral transport often takes place late at night, this is important when selecting a company. The telephone number is the number that will connect you to the person in charge when requesting funeral transport. In this invention, the system will call the company, so the telephone number is important. The company telephone unit 60 will call this number. The transportation fee is, for example, the fee for a distance traveled of less than 10 km. The actual fee varies depending on the distance traveled and the requester's requests, so direct confirmation with the company is necessary. If the requester requests that a company with a low fee be given priority, the candidate company will be selected taking into account the transportation fee. Email addresses will be used as a means of contact when responding online, etc. The person in charge is the name of the person in charge of the transport. When calling the contractor, this is used to request that the person be called as the person in charge, or when informing the requester of the name of the person in charge. (b) is a list of funeral home transport companies for those who wish to have a direct cremation, and is a list of only companies that can accommodate direct cremation. The item on the left is the sequential number for each company list, prefixed with HC. The other items are the same as in the list of all funeral home transport companies.

[0026] The data from the list of mortuary service providers is explained using Figure 2(c, d). The list of mortuary service providers consists of the List of All Funeral Transport Service Providers, which is a list including all mortuary service providers shown in (c), and the List of Mortuary Service Providers for Direct Cremation, which is a list of only those who can handle direct cremation shown in (d). In accordance with (c), the data items for the list of all mortuary service providers are explained. A mortuary service provider is a general term for businesses that manage temporary storage locations for bodies, such as mortuaries, funeral parlors, and funeral home mortuaries. We will start by explaining the items on the left side of the table. No. is a sequential number for each company list. In the list of all mortuary companies, it starts with an A. This is followed by the company name and address. The address is where the body will be placed. Business hours are the hours during which the company can respond. When requesting a body storage company for the transportation of a funeral, it is often late at night, so this is important when selecting a company. The telephone number is the number that will connect you to the person in charge when requesting body storage. The company telephone unit 60 will call this number. The storage fee is, for example, a fee per day. The actual fee varies depending on the type of service provided and the client's requests, so direct confirmation with the service provider is necessary. If the client requests that a service provider with a low fee be given priority, the service provider candidate will be selected, taking into account the storage fee. Email addresses will be used as a means of contact when responding online, etc. The person in charge is the name of the person in charge of the placement. When calling the service provider, you can request that the person be called as the person in charge, or when informing the client of the name of the person in charge. (d) is a list of mortuary service providers for those who wish to have a direct cremation, and is a list of only those who can accommodate direct cremation. The item on the left is a sequential number for each provider list, prefixed with AC. The other items are the same as in the list of all mortuary service providers.

[0027] The requester information and request details will be explained according to Figure 2 (e). We will explain starting from the leftmost item. No. is a sequential number for each request. It is numbered sequentially each time a request is made. An ID is attached at the beginning. The requester information is explained below. From the left, it is the requester's name and phone number. The phone number is the number that the system will use to call the requester. The name of the deceased is the name of the deceased who became the body. The relationship to the body (deceased) is the relationship between the client and the deceased, such as wife, husband, child, etc. The home address is the address of the client's home, and if the delivery destination is the client's home, this address is used as the delivery destination address. The section for chief mourner is provided because the person making the request and the chief mourner may be different. The item regarding the presence or absence of a death certificate is to confirm the existence of a death certificate from the client, as it is essential for procedures such as cremation.

[0028] Explain the request. The requested work name contains the details of the requested work related to the funeral, such as body transportation, coffin placement, funeral arrangements, and crematorium reservations. The items after the requested task will change depending on the requested task. If the requested task is transporting a body, the items to be entered include the name and address of the facility from which the body will be transported, the destination, the deadline for transport, whether or not the body is to be directly cremated, etc. The "Name / Address of the facility from which the body is transported" field indicates the location where the body will be accepted for transport. Since deaths often occur in hospitals, entering the name of the hospital as the facility name makes it possible to identify the source of the body without asking the requester for the hospital's address. The same applies if the body is being held by the police. If the place where the body is accepted is not a facility, the address of the place where the body is accepted will be obtained from the requester and this information will be used as data. The destination field indicates where the body will be transported. If the destination is the home, it will be the home address. The home address is usually the same as the home address in the requester's information, but since it is possible that the location where the body will be laid to rest may be different, it is specified in this field. If the client wishes to have a mortuary, they should write "mortuary, etc." in this field. This is because the mortuary itself needs to be selected and the address has not yet been determined. The question of whether or not a direct cremation is desired refers to whether or not the client wishes to have a direct cremation without a funeral. Some companies provide a series of services from transportation to the funeral, in which case they will not be able to accommodate requests for a direct cremation. Therefore, clearly indicating whether or not the client wishes to have a direct cremation makes the process of selecting a company smoother.

[0029] The operation of the funeral arrangement reception system will be explained with reference to Figures 1 and 3. FIG. 1 is a system block diagram of this embodiment. The configuration will be explained briefly. The control unit 10 controls the entire system. The requester telephone unit 30 and the request content confirmation unit 40 are the units corresponding to the requester I. The contractor telephone unit 60 and the request content instruction unit 50 are the units corresponding to the contractor G. The control unit 10 is connected to the request content confirmation unit 40 and the request content instruction unit 50, and obtains information from and issues instructions to them. The control unit 10 is connected to the arrival time estimation unit 11 and the database unit 20. 3 is a sequence diagram showing the flow of data and instructions from a requester, a trader, and within the system. From the left, the sequence is requester I, request content confirmation unit 40, control unit 10, request content instruction unit 50, and trader G. The client I calls the telephone number of the client telephone unit 30 of the funeral arrangement reception system 1 (S101). The client telephone unit 30 detects that a call has been received, enters a call state, and notifies the request content confirmation unit 40 that a call has been received and that a call state has been entered. The request content confirmation unit 40 uses AI 43 and speech synthesis 41 to speak to the requester I, and uses AI 43 and speech recognition 42 to confirm the content of the speech of the requester I. Through these operations, the requester I is inquired about the content of the request (S102). The request content confirmation unit 40 receives from the requester I information that the request content is for the transportation of a hearse (S103). Furthermore, the request content confirmation unit 40 transmits to the control unit 10 information that the request content is for the transportation of a hearse. The control unit 10 recognizes that the system can arrange support, acquires the support request ID, and starts support (S104). The request content confirmation unit 40 asks questions to the requester I and collects requester information and request content necessary for the funeral transport (S105). If the request is for the transportation of a body, questions include the origin of the body, the destination, whether it is a direct burial, etc. Questions to the origin of the body will confirm the name or address of the facility from which the body is being transported. Questions to the destination will confirm the home address if the destination is a home, and the name of the funeral home if the destination is a funeral parlor's mortuary. If the destination for the body has not been decided, the request also includes arranging for the destination. Whether or not the client wishes to have the body cremated directly is one of the criteria for selecting a company. In addition, other request details include a delivery deadline time and the like. You can also check for cremation reservations, and if a reservation has not yet been made, you can also make arrangements for cremation reservations.

[0030] The request content confirmation unit 40 transmits the requester information and the request content to the control unit 10 (S106). This information makes it possible to select a contractor. The control unit 10 selects the most suitable funeral-related business from the requester information, the request content, the information on the business list in the database unit 20, and the arrival time of each business estimated by the arrival time estimation unit 11. In this example, the most suitable transportation business is selected (S107). The control unit 10 acquires information about the selected business from the database unit, including the telephone number. The control unit 10 transmits the information about the business operator and the request content from the requester to the request content instruction unit 50 (S108). The request content instruction unit 50 transmits the telephone number in the trader information to the trader telephone unit 60, and causes the trader telephone unit 60 to make a call to the trader. The request content instruction unit 50 conveys the request content of the requester to the agent through a conversation in natural language using the AI ​​53 and the voice synthesis 51. The request content instruction unit 50 requests the agent to confirm whether or not the request can be accepted, and inquires about the fee amount and other conditions of the request from the agent (S109). The request content instruction unit 50 acquires from the agent whether the order can be accepted and the fee amount via the agent telephone unit 60 (S110). The request content instruction unit 50 notifies the control unit 10.

[0031] If trader G can accept the order, the control unit 10 determines to notify the requester that the trader can accept the order, and if trader G cannot accept the order, the control unit 10 returns to S107 and reselects a trader (S111). If the contractor is able to accept the request, the control unit 10 transmits to the request content confirmation unit 40 information that the contractor is able to accept the request, the fee amount and the like as the request conditions, the requester information, and the contractor information (S112). The request content confirmation unit 40 obtains the telephone number from the requester information and instructs the requester telephone unit 30 to call the requester. Through the call, the requester I is notified that a company that will carry out the transportation has been found, along with the name of the company and the fee, and is asked to confirm whether or not to make the request (S113). The request content confirmation unit 40 receives from the requester I whether or not to make a request via the requester telephone unit 30. The result is transmitted to the control unit 10 (S114). If the answer is "request," the control unit 10 determines to instruct the request content instruction unit 50 to make a request to the contractor, and if the answer is "no request," the process returns to S107 and the control unit 10 reselects a contractor. The control unit 10 instructs the request content instruction unit 50 to notify the requester information of the request for transportation (S116). The request content instruction unit 50 calls the contractor via the contractor telephone unit 60 and notifies the contractor of the request for transportation and the telephone number as the requester information. The trader G notifies the request content instruction unit 50 and the control unit 10 that the trader G will accept the order (S117). The control unit 10 determines that the arrangement support work is complete, stores the details of the support in the database unit, and ends the support (S118). In this way, through a series of processing operations of the funeral arrangement reception system 1, a company that meets the client's requests can be selected and arrangements can be made without human intervention.

[0032] In addition, upon receiving an order from contractor G, the control unit 10 may call the requester I and contractor G, connect the requester I and contractor G directly by phone, and have contractor G inform the requester I that the order has been accepted. This is because the client I may feel more at ease if he or she can talk directly with the person in charge at the business company G. In this case, the client telephone unit 30 and the business telephone unit 60 have a signal line that can directly exchange voice signals, and is controlled by the control unit 10.

[0033] In the example of Figure 3, one contractor is selected and approached to undertake the work, but multiple contractors may be selected and allowed to compete among themselves. Specifically, the contractors who have emerged as the winners in the contractor selection process may be contacted simultaneously, and the contractor that has responded with the earliest arrival time may be selected and contacted with the requester. Since the response comes from the supplier, the accuracy of the arrival time is high, and the requester can select the most appropriate supplier. You can also select the company with the lowest price instead of the arrival time. In this way, according to this system, multiple companies can be consulted at the same time, and the most suitable company can be selected from the multiple companies in a short time.

[0034] The details of the inquiry to the requester will be explained with reference to Figure 4. FIG. 4 shows an example of a conversation between the requester I and the request content confirmation unit 40. This is an example of a request for the transportation of a funeral. The requester I and the system's request content confirmation unit 40 converse in natural language via the requester's telephone unit 30. The system's utterances are synthesized by speech synthesis 41 using text generated by AI 43, and the utterances from the requester I are understood by speech recognition 42 and AI 43 in the same way as a normal operator, so there is no sense of incongruity. By verbally asking questions in order, starting with question 1, and receiving verbal answers, the request details and requester information are obtained, so even elderly people and those unfamiliar with using the app can easily request arrangements.

[0035] The request content confirmation unit 40 prioritizes questions for selecting a body transportation company. By obtaining answers to these questions early, it becomes possible to select a transportation company and make inquiries more quickly. Specifically, a company can be provisionally selected by obtaining the name of the requested work, information about the transportation origin, and information on whether the requester wishes to have the body cremated. This information is included in the provisional company identification information, which is information used to provisionally identify a company.

[0036] The requested work content is confirmed in question 1. Since the answer is "I would like you to transport the body to the morgue," the request content confirmation unit 40 extracts data such as the requested work name: body transportation, securing a morgue using the AI ​​43. Question 2 asks, "If it's from a hospital, please tell us the name of the hospital." The sudden need to transport a body is common because deaths occur in hospitals. The answer is "XX Hospital," so the internet-connected AI43 identifies the hospital and address, and records the funeral home address as "XX Hospital." If the hospital is not a hospital or if the hospital name is unknown, AI43 generates a follow-up question, asks the question again, and identifies the facility name and address.

[0037] Question 3 asks, "Do you wish to have a direct cremation?" Some transportation companies will transport the body on the condition that a funeral will also be held at the same time, and if the client requests a direct cremation, they will refuse to transport the body. Questions 1 to 3 provide provisional information on the specific company, such as the name of the requested service, the origin of the transport, and whether or not direct cremation is desired. From the list of transport companies, a company can then be provisionally selected that is close to the origin of the transport and matches the requester's desire for direct cremation. Although it is necessary to determine the destination of delivery, it is considered that in most cases, the destination will not affect whether or not the item will be accepted. Questions 4 to 7 are related to the requester information and the request content, and by asking these questions, the requester information and the request content are confirmed. You may also check whether or not a death certificate is available during this question. It is recommended that a death certificate be carried during transportation, and it is required for the procedures leading up to cremation, so it is important that the client is aware of whether or not a death certificate is available.

[0038] If the expected answers to such questions continue, it is acceptable to give up on the system and connect the customer to an operator (human), as this may be able to confirm the requester's needs in a different way than the system. Furthermore, if the operator is able to obtain information about the client and the details of the funeral request, the operator can notify the control unit of the system of this information, and the system can then take over assistance with arrangements midway through the process.

[0039] Referring to Figure 5, we will mainly explain the details of vendor selection in the control section. The control unit 10 receives the requester information and the request contents from the request contents confirmation unit 40 (F101). It confirms that the requested work name is funeral transport. Check the item in the request details regarding whether or not you wish for a direct cremation (F102), and if you wish for a direct cremation, load the list of funeral transport companies for those wishing to have a direct cremation (F103), or if you do not wish for a direct cremation, load the list of all funeral transport companies (F104). Narrow down the list of businesses to the most appropriate ones based on their business hours (F105). The control unit 10 transmits to the arrival time estimation unit 11 the name or address of the facility from which the vehicle is to be transported and the addresses of all candidate companies. The arrival time estimation unit 11 uses a system such as a route search to estimate the arrival time at the origin of the transport when departing from the supplier's address at a specified time, based on the facility name or address of the origin of the transport and the supplier's address (F106). If there are no other requests from the client, the company with the earliest arrival time is considered appropriate, and so that company is selected (107). The control unit 10 makes a sounding call to the selected contractor via the request content instruction unit 50 (F108). Check whether the selected contractor has responded that they can accept the order (F109). It is possible that the selected supplier may respond that they are not available and cannot accept the order. In this case, the supplier is deleted from the supplier list stored in the control unit 10 (F110), and a supplier is selected again in F107. If the selected contractor is available to undertake the work, the contractor will call the client and inform them of the name, telephone number, fee, etc. of the contractor who is available to undertake the work (F111). The requester determines whether or not to request the service based on the name of the company, the fee, etc. (F112). If no request is made, the company is deleted from the list of companies stored in the control unit 10 (F113), and a company is selected again in F107. If a request is made, the control unit 10 notifies the requestor via the request content instruction unit 50 and the business telephone unit 60, along with the requestor's name, telephone number, etc. (F114). The contractor's acceptance is confirmed, and the details of the arrangements are recorded in the database, completing one case (F115).

[0040] In this way, this embodiment allows the bereaved family to receive advice and assistance in making arrangements for the funeral, regardless of the circumstances or time of death, thereby reducing the psychological burden on the bereaved. In addition, funeral service providers can be selected and arranged flexibly while minimizing interactions between the client and the arrangement support system.

[0041] The process for requesting a transportation and mortuary service is explained in Figure 6. When requesting the transportation of a body, if the destination has already been decided, you simply need to select and inquire with a funeral transport company. However, when selecting a funeral service provider and a mortuary service provider at the same time, the content of the inquiry from the funeral service provider may change depending on the terms of the mortuary service provider's contract. For example, if the initially selected mortuary service provider is unable to accept the contract and a different mortuary service provider is reselected, the destination will naturally change, and the content of the inquiry to the hearse transport service provider will also change. Furthermore, even if the originally selected mortuary service provider becomes available to take on the body, if the mortuary service provider has multiple facilities and the location is no longer the one specified at the original address, the destination will be changed. If the destination of the transport is changed, it is necessary to reconfirm with the transport company that was approached that the destination has changed and whether they can accept the transport. Therefore, the flow of this part of the system will be explained. In FIG. 6, (a) is a flowchart of the process of selecting a mortuary service provider and receiving an inquiry about the contract, and (b) is a flowchart of the process of selecting a transportation service provider and receiving an inquiry about the contract. In the funeral arrangement reception system 1, a request is received from client I, and the client information and request details are confirmed. The request details include transporting the body and securing a mortuary. The selection and consultation of mortuary service providers and the selection and consultation of transport companies are carried out simultaneously. This is because transport work often needs to be done quickly, and consultations with various companies should be carried out in parallel.

[0042] The process of selecting and inquiring about mortuary service providers will be explained with reference to Figure 6(a). The most suitable company is selected depending on the request. Specifically, the control unit 10 reads from the database unit 20 a list of mortuary companies depending on whether the requester wishes to have the body cremated or not, stores the list in the control unit 10, and uses the stored list to select the most suitable company based on factors such as whether the company accepts the body during business hours and whether it is close to the place of transport (F201). The control unit 10 calls the contractor via the request content instruction unit 50 and the contractor's telephone unit 60, informs them of the request for a mortuary, the address of the body to be transported from, and whether or not a direct cremation is desired, and inquires about accepting the order (F202). In F203, confirm whether the order can be accepted, and if so, complete the consultation. If the supplier cannot accept the order due to reasons such as inconvenience, the supplier is deleted from the list stored in the control unit 10 (F204). With this supplier removed, the most suitable supplier is selected from the list (F201). In the same way, we will continue to approach contractors until they agree to accept the job. The selection of a mortuary service provider is not influenced by other providers, so the process is relatively simple.

[0043] The process of selecting and consulting a transport company will be explained with reference to FIG. 6(b). The most suitable company is selected depending on the request. More specifically, the control unit 10 reads from the database unit 20 a list of funeral transport companies depending on whether the client wishes to have a direct cremation or not, stores the list in the control unit 10, and uses the stored list to select the most suitable company based on whether the client wishes to have a direct cremation or not, whether the transport will be within business hours, whether the company is close to the origin of the transport, etc. (F301). The control unit 10 calls the contractor via the request content instruction unit 50 and the contractor's telephone unit 60, informs them of the transportation request, the address of the transportation origin, and whether or not direct burial is desired, and inquires about accepting the order (F302). F303 is for when you are making an inquiry to the same contractor, so it is omitted if it is the first time you are making a request. In F304, confirm whether the order can be accepted, and if so, proceed to F306. If the supplier cannot accept the order due to reasons such as inconvenience, the supplier is deleted from the list stored in the control unit 10 (F305). With this supplier removed, the most suitable supplier is selected from the list (F301). Subsequent inquiries are made to suppliers in the same manner until the supplier is able to accept the order. In F306, check whether the selected mortuary service provider for this request has accepted the order. This is because the destination cannot be determined until the mortuary service provider is confirmed. Therefore, it is necessary to wait until the mortuary service provider is confirmed as being able to accept the order. If the mortuary company is able to accept the body, proceed to F307. In F307, the mortuary company's information is checked to see if the address of the destination has changed from the original. If there are no changes to the destination, the body has already been accepted by the transport company, and the inquiry process is complete. If the delivery destination has been changed, the delivery destination in the request information is changed (F308). Then, in F302, the transport company is contacted. At that time, since the same company will be contacted, the destination has changed and the company is being contacted again (F303). If the destination has changed, the system checks whether the body can be accepted, and if so, proceeds to F306. Since the body mortuary service provider has already been selected, F306 will return Yes, and the system proceeds to F307. If there are no further changes to the destination, the consultation ends. In this way, by making it possible to change the content of the request to the funeral home transport company depending on the information of the selected mortuary company, it is possible to request services from the company flexibly and quickly.

[0044] Referring to Figure 7, the procedure for completing arrangements while the requester is making a call will be explained. A call is made from a requester (S301), and the request content confirmation unit 40 confirms the request content with the requester I via the requester telephone unit 30 (S302). The request is confirmed to be for the transportation of a funeral, and the request is notified to the control unit 10 (S303). The control unit 10 starts to assist in the arrangements and starts to record the progress (S304). The request content confirmation unit 40 first asks the requester I questions to identify the transport company (S305). The provisional company-specific information includes the requested service name of arranging a hearse transport vehicle, the transport origin, and whether or not direct cremation is desired. The transport origin information is information about the address or facility name of the transport origin. These are transmitted to the control unit 10 as temporary trader-specific information (S306).

[0045] Depending on whether the client wishes to have a direct cremation, the control unit 10 reads the list of all funeral home transport companies or the list of funeral home transport companies for those wishing to have a direct cremation from the database unit 20, and narrows down the transport companies based on their business hours. Furthermore, the control unit 10 selects a transport company from the read list of transport companies and the arrival time estimation unit 11 (S307). The control unit 10 transmits the provisional request content obtained from the provisional trader identification information and the selected trader information to the request content instruction unit 50 (S308). The request content instruction unit 50 calls the contractor G via the contractor telephone unit 60, conveys the requested content of the transport, and confirms the fee etc. (S309). At this time, the contractor G is informed that the request is currently being heard from the client and that the requested content may change. The supplier G replies whether or not it is possible to accept the order and the fee amount, and the details are sent to the control unit 10 (310). If the contractor G is able to accept the order, the request content instruction unit 50 requests the contractor G to wait until the request content and the contractor information from the requester I are confirmed (S311). This is because the request content may still change. While the control unit 10 is selecting and sounding out contractors, the request content confirmation unit 40 continues to ask questions of the requester I to confirm the requester's information, etc. (S313). Specifically, the questions include the requester's name, address, relationship to the deceased, and the name of the deceased. In parallel, if trader G is able to accept the order, the control unit 10 waits for the requester information, etc. to be sent from the request content confirmation unit 40, and if trader G is unable to accept the order, the control unit 10 returns to S307 and reselects a trader (S312).

[0046] When all questions to the requester I have been answered (S314), the request content confirmation unit 40 transmits the requester information and the like to the control unit 10 (S315). The control unit 10 notifies the request content instruction unit 50 that the request content has been finalized and, if necessary, that the request content has been changed, and reconfirms the fee (S316). The company G determines whether it can accept the order and receives the fee (S317). If the order can be accepted, the process proceeds to notify the requester, and if the order cannot be accepted, the process returns to S307 and a new contractor is selected (S318). The control unit 10 notifies the request content confirmation unit 40 of the vendor information, that the request is acceptable, and the fee amount (S319), and the request content confirmation unit 40 notifies the requester I of the vendor name and the fee amount and confirms whether or not to make the request (S320). The requester I sends a response as to whether or not to make a request to the control unit 10 (S321), and if the requester I does not want to make a request, the control unit 10 notifies the selected trader that the request has been cancelled, returns to S307, and reselects a trader (S322). If a request is made, the control unit 10 notifies the request content and requester information such as name and telephone number to the business operator G (S323). The supplier G sends a response of acceptance to the control unit 10, and the arrangement support is completed. The control unit 10 records the completion of the arrangement support and the details of the arrangement support in the database, and one case is completed.

[0047] According to this procedure, the call to the supplier can be made while the requester is still on the phone, and the requester's request to the supplier can be approved while the call is still ongoing, so the requester can receive arrangement support with peace of mind without having to wait anxiously for the call.

[0048] In this way, according to the present invention, the bereaved family can receive consultation and assistance with arrangements regarding funerals, etc., regardless of the circumstances or time of death, thereby reducing the psychological burden on the bereaved, and since no operator is required, the burden on employees can also be reduced.

[0049] Furthermore, according to the present invention, since it is possible to flexibly check the selection of a contractor and the possibility of accepting the order, it is possible to reduce inquiries to the requester and lighten the burden on the requester.

[0050] Furthermore, according to the present invention, multiple companies can be consulted at once, so arrangements can be made quickly.

[0051] Furthermore, according to the present invention, the supplier can be consulted even while questions are being asked of the client, so arrangements can be made more quickly.

[0052] Furthermore, according to the present invention, arrangements can be completed while the requester is making a call, eliminating the burden on the requester of having to wait for the call to be answered. [Industrial Applicability]

[0053] The funeral arrangement reception system of the present invention is believed to have great industrial applicability as a system that can handle funeral-related arrangements, including requests for body transportation, regardless of the time of day. [Explanation of symbols]

[0054] 1. Funeral arrangement reception system 10 Control Unit 11 Arrival time estimation unit 20 Database Department 30. Client Telephone Section 40 Request Content Confirmation Department 41 Speech Synthesis 42 Voice Recognition 43 AI 50 Request Content Instructions Section 51 Speech Synthesis 52 Voice Recognition 53 AI 60 Commercial Telephone Department I. Client G company

Claims

1. A funeral arrangement reception system, The system comprises a control unit, a request content confirmation unit, a request content instruction unit, a database unit, a requester telephone unit, and a contractor telephone unit, The request content confirmation unit extracts client information and the request content regarding the funeral from a conversation in natural language with the client via the client telephone unit, and transmits the extracted information to the control unit; The control unit selects a funeral-related business from the request content and the information in the database unit, obtains information on the selected funeral-related business including a telephone number from the database unit, and transmits the information on the funeral-related business and the request content to the request content instruction unit. The request content instruction unit calls the funeral-related business through the business telephone unit, communicates the request content to the funeral-related business through a conversation in natural language with the funeral-related business, confirms whether the request can be accepted, and acquires the request conditions if the request can be accepted. The control unit notifies the request content confirmation unit of the requester's availability to the funeral-related business and the request conditions, and instructs the request content confirmation unit to confirm whether or not to request the funeral-related business. When the client approves the request, the control unit instructs the request content instruction unit to notify the funeral-related business of the business request and the client's telephone number as client information, The request content confirmation unit and the request content instruction unit use a voice recognition unit and a voice synthesis unit for conversation with the client or the funeral-related business, The request includes arranging for a hearse transport vehicle, and when extracting the request, questions are asked including questions about the transport origin and destination, The database section includes a list of funeral carriers, including their addresses, business hours, and telephone numbers; The control unit uses the list of hearse carriers when selecting a hearse carrier, This funeral arrangement reception system is characterized by selecting candidates based on whether their business hours match, and selecting the hearse transport company that is estimated to arrive at the origin earlier from the company address and the origin address or facility name.

2. The above questions include whether or not you wish to have a direct cremation. The list of funeral service providers includes a list of funeral service providers for direct cremation applicants, which is made up of only companies that are capable of direct cremation; The funeral arrangement reception system described in claim 1, characterized in that when the control unit selects the hearse transport company, if the client wishes a direct cremation, it uses a list of hearse transport companies for those wishing to have a direct cremation.

3. The request includes arranging for a mortuary, the database section includes a list of mortuary service providers, including their addresses, business hours, and telephone numbers; The control unit selects a mortuary service provider based on the business hours and the provider's address, 3. The funeral arrangement reception system according to claim 1, wherein the contents of the request to the funeral transport company can be changed depending on the information of the selected mortuary company.

4. The funeral arrangement reception system according to claim 3, characterized in that the control unit selects the mortuary service provider, taking into account whether or not a direct cremation is desired.

5. The funeral arrangement reception system described in claim 1, characterized in that multiple telephone units for the contractor are located for one telephone unit for the client, and each can make calls simultaneously, and the request content instruction unit can simultaneously communicate with multiple funeral-related contractors.

6. A part of the question to the client is set as provisional trader-specific information, The control unit selects the funeral-related business from the business-specific provisional information and the information in the database unit, Notify the funeral-related business of the provisional business identification information and confirm whether or not they can provisionally accept the request; The temporary trader-specific information includes the requested business name being arrangement for a hearse transport vehicle and information about the transport source, 2. The funeral arrangement reception system according to claim 1, wherein the inquiry regarding the provisional company-specific information is made first.

7. A funeral arrangement reception system as described in claim 5 or claim 6, characterized in that calls are made to the funeral-related business while the client is on the phone, and the client's request for a business is approved while the client is still on the phone.

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