Reception system and reception method

Abstract

To provide a reception system which can receive, as a lump of data, identification information identifying an automatic vending machine to which a service is requested.SOLUTION: A reception system 1 which can receive a request for a service on an automatic vending machine V includes: an identification slip 2 attached to each of the automatic vending machine V and including identification information for identifying each of the automatic vending machines V in a format that can be read by predetermined readers 4, 6; and a server device 3 comprising an arithmetic apparatus 31 and a communication apparatus 32. The arithmetic apparatus 31 can execute: a receiving function of receiving data including identification information; an identifying function of identifying a target automatic vending machine V1 identified by the identification information; and an inquiry function of inquiring of a transmission source 4 of the data about a content of a service requested to the target automatic vending machine V1 and identifying the content of the service.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a reception system capable of receiving a request for a service for a vending machine and a reception method for receiving the request. [Background technology]

[0002] Vending machines are widely used to sell beverages and other products. Many vending machines are unmanned, meaning that there is no staff nearby to respond appropriately to customers when a malfunction occurs, such as a breakdown in the equipment or a shortage of products. One way to address this issue is to set up a call center to handle service requests for vending machines, and display the phone number of the call center on the vending machine. Users who wish to have the malfunction resolved can call the displayed phone number and request service from the call center.

[0003] To reduce the workload of such call centers, interactive voice response (IVR) systems are widely used (Patent Documents 1 to 3). A typical IVR system can automatically provide a predetermined response based on a signal input as a push-tone voice signal from the caller's telephone. By using an IVR system, some or all of the telephone responses at the call center can be automated, thereby reducing the workload of the call center. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2016-122996 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2019-16337 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2020-76869 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, in many IVR systems, the only way for users to input information is by pressing the buttons on a telephone (sending push-tone audio signals), which can limit the information that can be collected from users. For example, if a user takes time to enter an identification number that identifies the vending machine for which a service is being requested, the IVR system may mistakenly determine that the input is complete before the input operation is complete, and the correct identification number may not be obtained.

[0006] Therefore, there is a need for a reception system that can receive, as a single piece of data, the identification information that identifies the vending machine for which service is requested. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The reception system of the present invention is a reception system capable of receiving requests for services for vending machines, and comprises: an identification tag attached to each vending machine, on which identification information capable of identifying each vending machine is written in a format readable by a predetermined reading device; and a server device equipped with a calculation device and a communication device, wherein the calculation device is capable of performing a receiving function for receiving data including the identification information, a specifying function for specifying a target vending machine specified by the identification information, and a query function for querying the sender of the data about the content of the service requested for the target vending machine and specifying the content of the service. the inquiry function includes a step of displaying a chat screen on a display device possessed by the sender, in which inquiries from the arithmetic device to the sender and replies from the sender to the arithmetic device are displayed in a conversational format; a step of displaying a plurality of options showing candidates for services requested for the target vending machine on a display device possessed by the sender; a step of specifying the service requested for the target vending machine based on an input operation to designate one of the plurality of options; and a step of receiving text data transmitted from the sender. It is characterized by:

[0008] The receiving method of the present invention is a method for receiving a request for a service for a vending machine, in which an identification tag on which identification information for identifying each vending machine is written in a format readable by a predetermined reading device is attached to each vending machine, and includes a receiving step of receiving data including the identification information, an identifying step of identifying a target vending machine identified by the identification information, and an inquiry step of inquiring about the content of the service requested for the target vending machine from a sender of the data and identifying the content of the service. the inquiry step includes a step of displaying a chat screen on a display device possessed by the sender, in which inquiries to the sender and replies from the sender are displayed in a conversational format; a step of displaying a plurality of options showing candidates for services requested for the target vending machine on a display device possessed by the sender; a step of specifying the service requested for the target vending machine based on an input operation to designate one of the plurality of options; and a step of receiving text data transmitted from the sender. It is characterized by:

[0009] These configurations allow the input of identification information to be received as a single block of data, improving the accuracy of the information acquired from the user. This makes it easier to identify the necessary information for a vending machine or other device requiring service. Furthermore, the identification information can be easily and reliably read using a reading device such as a smartphone camera, which many users have on hand. This allows the acquisition and transmission of identification information to be easily and reliably executed. In addition, it has the advantages of being able to present information visually to users through an inquiry screen, improving the accuracy of information collection; being able to present information in a way that is easy for users to understand intuitively, improving the accuracy of information collection; having users select from pre-set standard options makes it possible to standardize the granularity of the information collected, making it easier to provide services; and allowing users to enter information freely, which was difficult with conventional IVRs, making it easier to obtain detailed information.

[0010] Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below, but the scope of the present invention is not limited to the preferred embodiments described below.

[0011] In one aspect, the reception system according to the present invention comprises: The identification tag is provided in a manner selected from the group consisting of a sticker, a nameplate, a sign, a POP advertisement, and printing. It is preferable.

[0015] In one aspect of the reception system according to the present invention, the format that can be read by a predetermined reading device is preferably a two-dimensional code format.

[0016] By using a two-dimensional code, information can be written at high density on the identification tag, which makes it easier to obtain and transmit identification information, since additional information, such as the destination of the identification information, can be set so that it can be read simultaneously with the identification information.

[0021] In one aspect of the reception system of the present invention, the computing device is further capable of executing a notification function in which the content of the service identified in the inquiry function is sent to the person in charge of the target vending machine, and it is preferable that the person in charge is further identified in the identification function.

[0022] According to this configuration, a request for a service can be associated with a person in charge of providing the service, so that the service can be provided smoothly.

[0023] Further features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description of exemplary and non-limiting embodiments, which is given with reference to the drawings. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0024] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a reception system according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an identification tag according to the embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 10 is a flow diagram showing the procedure from requesting a service to providing the service. [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of a chat screen. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of a chat screen. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of a chat screen. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of a chat screen. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0025] An embodiment of a reception system and a reception method according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following, an example will be described in which the reception system according to the present invention is applied to a reception system 1 capable of receiving service requests for vending machines. The reception system 1 is a system capable of receiving service requests for vending machines, and multiple vending machines V installed in various locations are associated with the reception system 1.

[0026] [Device configuration of reception system] The reception system 1 according to this embodiment includes an identification tag 2 and a server device 3 (FIG. 1).

[0027] An identification tag 2 is attached to each vending machine V. The identification tag 2 bears identification information 21 that can identify each vending machine V (FIG. 2). In this embodiment, the identification information 21 is written in the form of a nine-digit numeric code 21a ("123456789" in the example of FIG. 2) and a two-dimensional code 21b. More specifically, the two-dimensional code 21b contains, in addition to the numeric code 21a, information for accessing the server device 3 (such as a URL). In addition to the identification information 21, the identification tag 2 also bears contact information 22 (a telephone number and address in this embodiment) that indicates the contact information of the business operator that manages the provision of services to the vending machine V.

[0028] The identification tag 2 may be in any form as long as it can be attached to the vending machine V. Therefore, the identification tag 2 may be implemented in known forms such as a sticker, a nameplate, a sign, a POP advertisement, or printing.

[0029] The server device 3 is implemented as a known computer and includes an arithmetic unit 31, a communication unit 32, and a storage device 33. The arithmetic unit 31, the communication unit 32, and the storage device 33 may all be known devices that realize the arithmetic function, the communication function, and the storage function in this type of computer. Therefore, the arithmetic unit 31 is, for example, a CPU, the communication unit 32 is, for example, a network card, and the storage device 33 is, for example, a hard disk drive. The server device 3 is connected to the network N via the communication unit 32.

[0030] [Configuration of the Functions of the Calculation Device and the Reception Method] Next, the procedure from when the reception system 1 receives a request for a service to a vending machine until the service is actually provided will be explained (Fig. 3). Note that some of the following procedures are executed as functions of a program executed by the arithmetic unit 31 of the server device 3. The program is stored in the storage device 33.

[0031] (1) Service request from user (S10) A user P who wishes to receive service for a specific vending machine V1 (hereinafter referred to as the target vending machine V1) among multiple vending machines V associated with the reception system 1 uses a camera (an example of a reading device) mounted on a communication terminal 4 (e.g., a smartphone) that the user P owns to photograph the two-dimensional code 21b printed on the identification tag 2 (S11). The communication terminal 4 obtains a numerical code 21a that identifies the target vending machine V1 and a URL for accessing the server device 3 from the image data of the photographed two-dimensional code 21b.

[0032] The communication terminal 4 can be connected to the network N via a communication line. Here, the network N is typically the Internet. The communication terminal 4 accesses the URL obtained from the two-dimensional code 21b, i.e., the server device 3 (S12). At this time, data including the numeric code 21a that identifies the target vending machine V1 is transmitted to the server device 3. Note that the communication line used at this time is typically a wireless communication line such as a mobile phone network or a wireless LAN line, but may also be a wired communication line.

[0033] (2) Receiving function (S20) The server device 3 (arithmetic device 31) executes a receiving function to receive data including the numeric code 21a (identification information 21) from the communication terminal 4 (FIG. 3). Here, the form of the identification information 21 in the data received by the server device 3 is not limited as long as the server device 3 is capable of receiving it. For example, the numeric code 21a may be included as a URL parameter in the URL when the communication terminal 4 accesses the server device 3. Note that the exchange of data between the server device 3 and the communication terminal 4 in the subsequent procedures may also be carried out in a similar manner.

[0034] (3) Specific Function (S30) Next, the server device 3 (arithmetic device 31) executes an identification function to identify the target vending machine V1 identified by the numeric code 21a (identification information 21) included in the data received by the receiving function (FIG. 3). A database of all vending machines V associated with the reception system 1 is pre-stored in the storage device 33, and the target vending machine V1 is identified by searching this database for records containing the numeric code 21a. As an example, this database is implemented as a relational database with the numeric code 21a as the primary key, and is configured to be able to identify the installation location, products sold, owner, name and contact information of the maintenance staff, etc. for each vending machine V.

[0035] (4) Inquiry function (S40) Next, the server device 3 (arithmetic device 31) executes a query function to identify the content of the service requested for the target vending machine V1 (FIG. 3). First, in response to the access from the communication terminal 4, a step of transmitting data to display a chat screen 5 (an example of a query screen) (FIG. 4) on the display device of the communication terminal 4 is executed (S41). On the chat screen 5, a query 51 from the arithmetic device 31 to the communication terminal 4 (sender) is displayed in speech bubbles on the left side, and a reply 52 from the communication terminal 4 (sender) to the arithmetic device 31 is displayed on the right side, realizing a conversational interface.

[0036] The first action after displaying the chat screen 5 on the communication terminal 4 is to display a plurality of options 51a indicating candidate services to be requested for the target vending machine V1 (S42). In this embodiment, the following candidate services are displayed on the chat screen 5 as the first inquiry 51: "Sold out," "Empty can collection," "Request for product change," "Out of change," "No product given," "Wrong product," "Accept bills," "Accept coins," "Coin pass-through," "No change given," and "Other (other than the above)."

[0037] When user P performs an input operation to designate one of the services, data including information indicating the selected service is sent to server device 3 (S43). Server device 3 receives the data and identifies the service requested for target vending machine V1 (S44). All data received by server device 3 is stored in storage device 33, and this also applies to subsequent steps. At this point, server device 3 can identify target vending machine V1 to which service provision is requested and the content of the requested service.

[0038] In the subsequent steps of the inquiry function, inquiry items 51 corresponding to the content of the service designated in step S43 are displayed in sequence, and the user P inquires about the details of the desired service using a conversational interface (S45). More specifically, for each content of the designated service, the items that need to be inquired of the user P in order to provide the service and the order in which they should be inquired are predetermined in the program executed by the computing device 31, and inquiries related to each item are made in sequence.

[0039] The following describes an example where "No product dispensed" was selected in step S43. Here, "No product dispensed" means that User P pressed the product selection button on the target vending machine V1 but no product was dispensed, and a refund to User P is required.

[0040] After "Product not available" is selected, the message "Please enter the name of the selected product" is displayed on the chat screen 5 (FIG. 5) as the first inquiry 51. User P enters text data specifying the product to be purchased into the communication terminal 4 as a response 52 to the inquiry 51. The text data is transmitted from the communication terminal 4 and received by the arithmetic unit 31.

[0041] As with the product name inquiry, subsequent inquiries 51 are displayed in sequence on the chat screen 5 (Figs. 5 to 7), asking for user P's name, phone number, whether the indicator light on the target vending machine V1 is lit, the amount inserted, and the time period during which they would like to be contacted. User P answers 52 to each inquiry 51 by entering text data or selecting from options (S45).

[0042] Finally, a list of answer items 52 is displayed as inquiry items 51, and when user P approves this, a message saying "Registration of inquiry details has been completed" is displayed (FIG. 7), and user P is notified that the acceptance of the service request has been completed (S46). Also, on the server device 3 side, the information identified by the series of inquiries is stored as one record in storage device 33 (S47).

[0043] Note that if an option other than "No product available" is selected in step S43, the inquiry function is performed in a similar manner. For example, if "Sold Out" is selected, the requested service is identified as replenishing the target vending machine V1 with products, and if "Empty Can Collection" is selected, the requested service is identified as collecting empty cans from the empty can collection box attached to the target vending machine V1. For other options, the services are identified as can be understood from the above wording.

[0044] (5) Notification function S50 Furthermore, the server device 3 (computing device 31) executes a notification function that sends the service details identified in the inquiry function to the maintenance person (an example of a person in charge) in charge of the target vending machine V1 (FIG. 3). Each vending machine V is assigned at least one maintenance person in charge of maintenance work, including replenishing products and collecting sales proceeds. The database described above is also configured to be able to identify the name and contact information of the maintenance person for each vending machine V. In other words, when each of the above functions is executed, the target vending machine V1 for which service is requested, details of the service details requested for the target vending machine V1, and the name and contact information of the maintenance person in charge of the target vending machine V1 are identified, and therefore the server device 3 can send the identified service details to the maintenance person M.

[0045] The following continues to explain the case where "Product not available" was specified in step S43 as an example. When execution of the inquiry function is completed, information such as the target vending machine V1 for which a refund (provision of service) is requested, the name and phone number of the user P to be refunded, the product attempted to be purchased, and the amount to be refunded is stored in the storage device 33. Based on this information, the computing device 31 sends a notification regarding the refund to the communication terminal 6 (e.g., a smartphone) carried by the maintenance staff M in charge of the target vending machine V1 (S51). The form of the information sent here is not particularly limited, and can be, for example, a known communication method such as email, a messaging app, a dedicated app, or telephone.

[0046] Upon receiving the notification, the maintenance person M contacts the user P in accordance with the received notification and refunds the user P (S52). Thereafter, the maintenance person M transmits data indicating that the refund process has been completed to the server device 3 via the communication terminal 6 (S53). Upon receiving the data, the server device 3 changes the status of the record related to the refund process stored in the storage device 33 to "completed" (S54).

[0047] Note that even if an option other than "No product available" is selected in step S43, the notification function is executed in the same manner. That is, a notification corresponding to the service identified in the inquiry function is sent to the maintenance person M (communication terminal 6).

[0048] Other Embodiments Finally, other embodiments of the reception system and reception method according to the present invention will be described. Note that the configurations disclosed in the following embodiments can be applied in combination with the configurations disclosed in other embodiments, as long as no contradiction occurs.

[0049] In the above embodiment, an example has been described in which the arithmetic device 31 of the server device 3 is configured to be able to execute the notification function. However, the reception system according to the present invention may be configured not to execute the notification function.

[0050] In the above embodiment, an example has been described in which the identification information 21 is written on the identification tag 2 in both the form of a numeric code 21a and a two-dimensional code 21b. However, in the reception system according to the present invention, the format of the identification information written on the identification tag is not limited, and it may be in another format (one-dimensional barcode, OCR font, etc.) that can be read by a predetermined reading device. Furthermore, in the above embodiment, an example has been described in which the identification information 21 included in the data received by the server device 3 is a nine-digit numeric code 21a, but the format of the identification information according to the present invention is not limited as long as it can be processed by the arithmetic unit of the server device.

[0051] In the above embodiment, the inquiry function is described as an example in which a chat screen 5 is displayed on the communication terminal 4 and an inquiry about service content is made through a conversational interface. However, the implementation form of the inquiry function according to the present invention is not particularly limited. For example, an input form (another example of an inquiry screen) displaying inquiry items and fields for answering questions may be displayed on a display device owned by the sender.

[0052] In the above embodiment, an example has been described in which, in the inquiry function, multiple options 51a indicating candidate services to be requested for the target vending machine V1 are displayed on the communication terminal 4, and the requested service is identified based on an input operation by the user P to select one of the options 51a. However, in the inquiry function according to the present invention, the method for identifying the content of the requested service is not particularly limited. For example, the user may be asked to input text data indicating the content of the requested service or a pre-prepared numeric code representing the candidate service.

[0053] In the above embodiment, an example has been described in which a configuration is possible in which answers can be provided by text data for some answer items 52. However, the inquiry function according to the present invention may be implemented in a manner that does not include receiving text data. However, if the inquiry function is implemented in a manner that includes a step of receiving text data, it is preferable in that it makes it easier to provide detailed information about the requested service.

[0054] Regarding other configurations, it should be understood that the embodiments disclosed in this specification are illustrative in all respects and that the scope of the present invention is not limited thereby. Those skilled in the art will easily understand that appropriate modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Therefore, other embodiments modified without departing from the spirit of the present invention are naturally included in the scope of the present invention. [Industrial Applicability]

[0055] The present invention can be used, for example, in a reception system that can receive requests for services for vending machines. [Explanation of symbols]

[0056] 1: Reception system 2: Identification tag 21: Identification information 21a: Numeric code 21b: 2D code 22: Contact Information 3: Server device 31: Arithmetic device 32: Communication equipment 33: Storage device 4: Communication terminal (user) 5: Chat screen 51: Inquiries 51a: Choices 52: Answer items 6: Communication terminal (maintenance staff) M: Maintenance person P:User N: Network V: Vending machine V1: Target vending machines

Claims

1. A reception system capable of receiving a request for a service for a vending machine, An identification tag attached to each vending machine and having identification information that can identify each vending machine in a format that can be read by a predetermined reading device; a server device including a computing device and a communication device; The computing device a receiving function for receiving data including the identification information; An identification function for identifying a target vending machine identified by the identification information; a query function for querying the sender of the data about the content of the service requested for the target vending machine and identifying the content of the service; The query function is a step of displaying a chat screen on a display device possessed by the transmission source, in which inquiries from the arithmetic device to the transmission source and replies from the transmission source to the arithmetic device are displayed in a conversational format; a step of displaying a plurality of options indicating candidates of services requested for the target vending machine on a display device possessed by the transmission source; specifying a service requested for the target vending machine based on an input operation specifying one of the plurality of options; receiving the text data transmitted from the source; Reception system.

2. A reception system as described in claim 1, wherein the identification tag is provided in a form selected from the group consisting of a sticker, a nameplate, a sign, a POP advertisement, and printing.

3. 2. The reception system according to claim 1, wherein the format that can be read by a predetermined reading device is a two-dimensional code format.

4. The computing device The device may further execute a notification function of sending the content of the service identified in the inquiry function to a person in charge of the target vending machine, The reception system according to claim 1 , wherein the specifying function further specifies the person in charge.

5. A method for receiving a request for a service to a vending machine, comprising: An identification tag on which identification information that can identify each vending machine is written in a format that can be read by a predetermined reading device is attached to each vending machine, a receiving step of receiving data including the identification information; an identification step of identifying a target vending machine identified by the identification information; a query step of querying the sender of the data for the content of the service requested for the target vending machine, and specifying the content of the service; The querying step a step of displaying a chat screen on a display device possessed by the sender, in which inquiries to the sender and replies from the sender are displayed in a conversational format; a step of displaying a plurality of options indicating candidates of services requested for the target vending machine on a display device possessed by the transmission source; specifying a service requested for the target vending machine based on an input operation specifying one of the plurality of options; receiving the text data transmitted from the source; How to check in.

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