Information processing system, information processing method, and program

Abstract

[PROBLEM] To provide an information processing system capable of placing an appropriate order on the basis of accurate inventory information. [SOLUTION] An information processing system according to one aspect of the present invention includes a processor. The processor: in a first display step, executes first display processing for displaying, on a crew member terminal, an inventory management screen for an article to be loaded onto a ship, the crew member terminal being a terminal used by a crew member on board the ship; in a reception step, receives an order placement request for the article displayed on the inventory management screen, based on an operation of the crew member terminal; in a second display step, executes second display processing for displaying, on an administrator terminal, a request screen indicating an order placement request, the administrator terminal being a terminal used by an administrator who is not on board the ship; and in an ordering step, when an administrator approval operation is performed with respect to the order placement request on the request screen, executes order placement-related processing relating to placing an order for the article for which the order placement request was made.

Description

Information processing system, information processing method and program

[0001] The present invention relates to an information processing system, an information processing method, and a program.

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a technology for reducing the excess or shortage of spare parts to be installed on a ship when construction is completed, in which the types and quantities of spare parts to be installed on a ship that has already been constructed are compared with the types and quantities of spare parts to be ordered for a ship under construction, and the types and quantities of spare parts that do not match are identified and ordered.

[0003] JP 2016-124426 A

[0004] In order to maintain an appropriate inventory of goods (such as equipment) on board a ship, it is desirable to order new goods when stocks start to run low, even while the ship is underway. However, crew members have work to do on board, which can make it difficult for them to procure goods.

[0005] In view of the above circumstances, the present invention provides an information processing system and the like that is capable of placing appropriate orders based on accurate inventory information.

[0006] According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided an information processing system having a processor, wherein the processor, in a first display step, executes a first display process for displaying an inventory management screen for items to be loaded on a ship on a crew terminal, the crew terminal being a terminal used by a crew member on board the ship, and in a reception step, receives an order request for items to be displayed on the inventory management screen by operating the crew terminal, and in a second display step, executes a second display process for displaying a request screen showing the order request on an administrator terminal, the administrator terminal being a terminal used by an administrator not on board the ship, and in an ordering step, when the administrator operates to approve the order request on the request screen, executes order-related processing for ordering the items for which the order request has been made.

[0007] According to this embodiment, it is possible to place an appropriate order based on accurate inventory information.

[0008] 1 is a diagram showing the overall configuration of an order placement and receipt management system 1. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the hardware configuration of a server device 10. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the hardware configuration of a crew terminal 20. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of a control unit of each device. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of a displayed inventory management screen. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of a displayed alert image. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of an order request operation. FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of an order request screen displayed. FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an example of an approval request screen displayed. FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a work instruction screen displayed. FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an example of an approval request screen displayed. FIG. 12 is a diagram showing an example of a quote creation screen displayed. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of a quote presentation screen displayed. FIG. 14 is a diagram showing an example of a status screen displayed. FIG. 15 is an activity diagram showing an example of order processing. FIG. 16 is an activity diagram showing an example of an inventory DB1. FIG. 17 is a diagram showing another example of the functional configuration of the control unit of each device. FIG. 18 is a diagram showing another example of the inventory DB1.

[0009] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Various features shown in the following embodiments can be combined with each other.

[0010] Incidentally, a program for realizing the software appearing in one embodiment may be provided as a non-transitory computer-readable recording medium, or may be provided so as to be downloadable from an external server, or may be provided so that the program is started on an external computer and its functions are realized on a client terminal (so-called cloud computing).

[0011] Furthermore, various information processing according to an embodiment may realize input and output corresponding to the input. Here, the form of information referenced in such information processing (hereinafter referred to as reference information) is not limited as long as an output is obtained as a result of the input. The reference information may be, for example, rule-based information such as a database, a lookup table, or a predetermined function (including a decision formula such as a regression formula constructed using a statistical method), a trained model that has previously trained the correlation between input and output, or a large-scale language model that can output a desired result by inputting a prompt.

[0012] In one embodiment, the term "unit" may include, for example, a combination of hardware resources implemented by a circuit in the broad sense and software information processing that can be specifically realized by these hardware resources. In one embodiment, various information is handled, and this information is represented, for example, by physical values ​​of signal values ​​representing voltage or current, high or low signal values ​​as a binary bit set consisting of 0 or 1, or quantum superposition (so-called quantum bits), and communication and calculations can be performed on the circuit in the broad sense.

[0013] Furthermore, a circuit in a broad sense is a circuit realized by at least an appropriate combination of a circuit, circuitry, a processor, a memory, etc. The processor may be a general-purpose processor or a dedicated circuit. That is, it includes application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), programmable logic devices (e.g., simple programmable logic devices (SPLDs), complex programmable logic devices (CPLDs), and field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs)), etc.

[0014] 1. Hardware Configuration In this section, the hardware configuration of the order management system according to this embodiment will be described.

[0015] Fig. 1 is a diagram showing the overall configuration of an order management system 1. Fig. 1 shows an overview of each device provided in the order management system 1 and the users who use those devices. Each overview will be explained as needed, with reference to other figures.

[0016] The order management system 1 is an information processing system that executes processes for managing orders for goods to be carried on a ship. The order management system 1 includes a communication line 71, a ground antenna 72, a satellite 73, a ship 81, an onboard communication line 82, an onboard antenna 83, a server device 10, crew terminals 20-1 and 20-2 (hereinafter referred to as "crew terminals 20" when not distinguished), manager terminals 30-1 and 30-2 (hereinafter referred to as "manager terminals 30" when not distinguished), and business operator terminals 40-1 and 40-2, etc. (hereinafter referred to as "business operator terminals 40" when not distinguished).

[0017] The communication line 71 includes the Internet, etc., and mediates the exchange of data between devices connected to the line itself. The server device 10 and the terrestrial antenna 72 are connected to the communication line 71 by wire, and the administrator terminal 30 and the operator terminal 40 are connected wirelessly. Note that communication with the communication line 71 may be wired or wireless. The satellite 73 is a communication satellite that orbits the Earth and communicates with the ground. The terrestrial antenna 72 is an antenna capable of wireless communication with the satellite 73 and is installed on the ground. The shipboard antenna 83 is an antenna capable of wireless communication with the satellite 73 and is installed on the ship 81.

[0018] The ship 81 is a vessel that mainly sails on the sea, carrying people and cargo. In addition to cargo, the ship 81 also carries various items necessary for the voyage and the lives of the crew, such as fuel, maintenance parts, consumables, food, and equipment. These items will be referred to as ship's supplies hereinafter. The onboard communication line 82 is a communication line established inside the ship 81, and is a so-called LAN (Local Area Network). The onboard communication line 82 is connected to an onboard antenna 83 and a crew terminal 20 by wire. Note that the connection to the onboard communication line 82 may be wireless.

[0019] The crew terminal 20 is a terminal used by a crew member on board the ship 81. While working on board, the crew member checks the inventory quantity by, for example, directly inspecting the ship's supplies on board (so-called visual inspection) and updates the inventory quantity stored in the inventory DB1 (database). The crew member also requests the manager to order ship supplies that are out of stock. This request will be referred to as an order request hereinafter. In other words, the crew member does not order ship supplies directly. The crew members include general crew members who make order requests and approvers (e.g., the captain) who have the authority to approve the order requests made by the general crew members. In the example of FIG. 1, the crew member uses the crew terminal 20-1, and the approver uses the crew terminal 20-2. The order of ship supplies is not yet confirmed when the crew member makes an order request; it is confirmed when the manager approves the order request.

[0020] The manager terminal 30 is a terminal used by a manager who is not on board the ship 81. The manager, for example, works on land and is responsible for managing the ordering of ship supplies, and performs tasks such as confirming the contents of order requests, approving them, requesting estimates, obtaining estimates, and officially placing orders. Managers include general managers who request estimates and perform ordering procedures, and approvers (e.g., people in positions of authority) who have the authority to approve the ordering procedures performed by the general managers. In the example of FIG. 1, the general manager uses the manager terminal 30-1, and the approver uses the manager terminal 30-2.

[0021] The business operator terminal 40 is a terminal used by a business operator that provides ship supplies. The business operator receives requests for estimates from the manager, presents estimates, and arranges for the delivery of the ordered ship supplies when a formal order is placed by the manager. The business operator arranges for the ship supplies to be delivered to the port 91 where the ship 81 will arrive. The ship supplies 93 arranged by the business operator are delivered to the port 91 by a transport vehicle 92. The ship supplies 93 delivered to the port 91 are loaded onto the ship 81 that has arrived at the port 91.

[0022] The server device 10 executes order-receiving and ordering-related processes related to ordering and receiving orders for marine supplies. The order-receiving and ordering-related processes include order-receiving and ordering-related processes related to ordering marine supplies. The server device 10 also stores an inventory DB1 that indicates the inventory of marine supplies on board the ship 81. The inventory DB1 stores the quantities of marine supplies on board the ship 81 in association with the respective marine supplies. The server device 10 also stores an order-receiving and ordering DB2 that stores data related to ordering and receiving orders for marine supplies exchanged between the administrator and the operator.

[0023] 2 is a diagram showing the hardware configuration of the server device 10. The server device 10 includes a control unit 11, a storage unit 12, a communication unit 13, and a bus 14. The bus 14 electrically connects the various units included in the server device 10.

[0024] (Control Unit 11) The control unit 11 is, for example, a central processing unit (CPU) not shown. The control unit 11 is a computer that realizes various functions related to the order management system 1 by reading out predetermined programs stored in the storage unit 12. In other words, information processing by software stored in the storage unit 12 is specifically realized by the control unit 11, which is an example of hardware, and can be executed as each functional unit included in the control unit 11. These will be described in more detail in the next section. Note that the control unit 11 is not limited to being single, and the system may be implemented with multiple control units 11 for each function. A combination of these may also be used.

[0025] (Memory Unit 12) The memory unit 12 stores various information defined above. This can be implemented, for example, as a storage device such as a solid state drive (SSD) that stores various programs related to the order management system 1 executed by the control unit 11, or as a memory such as a random access memory (RAM) that stores temporarily required information (arguments, arrays, etc.) related to program calculations. The memory unit 12 stores various programs, variables, etc. related to the order management system 1 executed by the control unit 11.

[0026] (Communication Unit 13) The communication unit 13 is configured to be able to transmit various electrical signals from the server device 10 to external components. The communication unit 13 is also configured to be able to receive various electrical signals from the external components to the server device 10. More preferably, the communication unit 13 has a network communication function, which may enable communication of various information between the server device 10 and external devices via the communication line 71.

[0027] Figure 3 is a diagram showing the hardware configuration of the crew terminal 20. The crew terminal 20 includes a control unit 21, a memory unit 22, a communication unit 23, an input unit 24, an output unit 25, and a bus 26. The bus 26 electrically connects the various units included in the crew terminal 20. The control unit 21, the memory unit 22, and the communication unit 23 are similar hardware to the control unit 11, the memory unit 12, and the communication unit 13 shown in Figure 2, although the specifications, model, etc. may differ.

[0028] (Input unit 24) The input unit 24 has one or more input interfaces of keys, buttons, a touch screen, a mouse, etc., and receives input from the user. (Output unit 25) The output unit 25 has output devices such as a display and a speaker, and displays visual information generated in a manner that is visible to the user, such as a screen, an image, an icon, text, etc., on the display surface, and outputs sound including voice.

[0029] The manager terminal 30 has the same hardware configuration as the crew terminal 20. The control unit of the manager terminal 30 will be described using the reference numeral "control unit 31" to distinguish it from the control unit 21 of the crew terminal 20. The business operator terminal 40 has the same hardware configuration as the crew terminal 20. The control unit of the business operator terminal 40 will be described using the reference numeral "control unit 41" to distinguish it from the control unit 21 of the crew terminal 20.

[0030] 2. Functional Configuration This section describes the functional configuration of this embodiment. As described above, information processing by software stored in the storage unit of each device is specifically realized by a control unit, which is an example of hardware, and each functional unit included in the control unit can be executed.

[0031] 4 is a diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of the control unit of each device. The control unit 11 of the server device 10 includes a server display unit 111, a user authentication unit 112, an inventory processing unit 113, an order processing unit 114, an order processing unit 115, and a notification processing unit 116. The control unit 21 of the crew terminal 20 includes a user display unit 211 and an operation reception unit 212. The control unit 31 of the manager terminal 30 includes a user display unit 311 and an operation reception unit 312. The control unit 41 of the business operator terminal 40 includes a user display unit 411 and an operation reception unit 412.

[0032] The server display unit 111 executes processing for displaying on each terminal a system screen relating to the order management system 1. The server display unit 111 performs processing such as generating and transmitting an HTML (Hyper Text Markup Language) file, and displays a web page showing the system screen on the crew terminal 20. The server display unit 111 may also perform processing such as generating and transmitting display data for an application for using the order management system 1.

[0033] The user authentication unit 112 authenticates a user who logs in via the crew terminal 20 based on authentication information such as a registered user ID (Identification) and password. This authentication allows the server device 10 to process data exchanged with the crew terminal 20, manager terminal 30, and business operator terminal 40 in association with the users associated with the data, i.e., the crew, manager, and business operator.

[0034] The inventory processing unit 113 executes inventory-related processing related to the inventory of marine supplies. The inventory-related processing includes, for example, processing for updating the inventory DB1 and processing for detecting when the inventory quantity falls below a predetermined threshold. The ordering processing unit 114 executes order-related processing related to ordering marine supplies. The order receiving processing unit 115 executes order-related processing related to receiving orders for marine supplies. The notification processing unit 116 executes notification processing for notifying the status of orders for marine supplies.

[0035] The user display unit 211 of the crew terminal 20 controls the display on the display, which is a display means possessed by the crew terminal 20. The user display unit 211 displays, for example, a web page or app screen transmitted from the server display unit 111 on the display means. The operation reception unit 212 of the crew terminal 20 receives operations performed by the user.

[0036] The user display unit 311 of the administrator terminal 30 controls the display on a display, which is a display means of the administrator terminal 30. The user display unit 311 displays, for example, a web page or an application screen transmitted from the server display unit 111 on the display means. The operation reception unit 312 of the administrator terminal 30 receives operations performed by the user.

[0037] The user display unit 411 of the business operator terminal 40 controls the display on a display, which is a display means of the business operator terminal 40. The user display unit 411 displays, for example, a web page or an application screen transmitted from the server display unit 111 on the display means. The operation reception unit 412 of the business operator terminal 40 receives operations performed by the user.

[0038] 3. Information Processing This section describes the information processing that the program causes the computer to execute in this embodiment. The server display unit 111 executes a first display process for displaying an inventory management screen for ship supplies, which are items installed on the ship 81, on the crew terminal 20. In this case, the server display unit 111 is an example of a first display unit. When the server display unit 111 generates screen data showing an inventory management screen for managing inventory based on the inventory information stored in the inventory DB1 and transmits the screen data to the crew terminal 20-1 of the general crew member, the crew terminal 20-1 displays the inventory management screen shown in the transmitted screen data on the user display unit 211.

[0039] Figure 5 is a diagram showing an example of a displayed inventory management screen. The user display unit 211 of the crew terminal 20-1 displays the inventory management screen G1. The inventory management screen G1 includes an inventory tab TB1 and a progress status tab TB2. The inventory tab TB1 is a tab for displaying the inventory status, and the progress status tab TB2 is a tab for displaying the progress status of order placement and receipt. In Figure 5, the inventory tab TB1 is selected. The inventory tab TB1 includes categories CG1, CG2, CG3, CG4, etc.

[0040] Categories CG1, CG2, CG3, and CG4 represent ship's supplies categories: drinking water, oil, consumables, and equipment, respectively. In FIG. 5, category CG1, which represents drinking water, is selected, and inventory information for drinking water ship's supplies C11, C12, C13, and C14 is displayed. Note that only a portion of the ship's supplies are shown in FIG. 5, and other ship's supplies can be displayed by scrolling or switching screens. Each ship's supply is associated with an image, item, remarks, inventory quantity, alert threshold, last update date, and order request.

[0041] The image represents an image of ship supplies. The item represents an item of ship supplies. The notes represent notes about the ship supplies. The inventory quantity represents the quantity of ship supplies in stock. The alert threshold is an example of the predetermined threshold mentioned above, and represents a threshold for issuing a warning (alert) when the inventory quantity is running low. The inventory quantity and alert threshold can be entered or changed by a general crew member. In the example of Figure 5, the inventory quantity is entered and updated by the crew member who visually inspects the ship supplies inventory, as mentioned above. The alert threshold is also entered and changed manually by the crew member. The last update date represents the date and time when the inventory quantity was last updated. The order request includes order request buttons B11, B12, B13, and B14 for making an order request for ship supplies.

[0042] When the inventory quantity falls below the alert threshold, an alert image is displayed. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of a displayed alert image. The user display unit 211 of the crew terminal 20-1 displays alert images AL1 and AL2 on the inventory management screen G1. The alert image AL1 is displayed in association with the ship supplies C11 whose inventory quantity has fallen below the alert threshold. The alert image AL2 is displayed in association with the category CG1 (drinking water in the example of FIG. 6) that includes the ship supplies C11 whose inventory quantity has fallen below the alert threshold.

[0043] The general crew member looks at the inventory management screen G1 and performs an operation to request an order for ship supplies that are determined to be in short supply (hereinafter referred to as an "order request operation"). Specifically, the general crew member performs the order request operation by pressing an order request button associated with the ship supplies for which an order is requested.

[0044] 7 is a diagram showing an example of an order request operation. In the example of FIG. 7, a general crew member is performing an order request operation for ship supplies C11, for which an alert image AL1 is displayed, and ship supplies C13, for which the inventory quantity is approaching the alert threshold. The user display unit 211 displays the order request operation by changing the appearance of the order request buttons B11 and B13, for which the order request operation has been performed, so that the user can see that the operation has been performed.

[0045] Furthermore, when the order request button is not operated, the user display unit 211 displays the approval request button B15 in dashed lines as shown in Figure 5, indicating that it cannot be operated, but when the order request button is pressed, the approval request button B15 is displayed in solid lines as shown in Figure 7, indicating that it can be operated. When a general crew member operates the approval request button B15, the user display unit 211 displays a screen for an order request.

[0046] 8 is a diagram showing an example of a displayed order request screen. The user display unit 211 of the crew terminal 20-1 displays the order request screen G2. The order request screen G2 includes the text "Please confirm the contents of the order request and request approval from your supervisor.", images of the ship supplies C11 and C13 selected as the target of the order request in the example of FIG. 7, category names, items, and remarks, an input field D21 for the order quantity, order request delete buttons B21 and B23, and an approval request button B25.

[0047] The general crew member inputs the order quantity in the input field D21. If the general crew member determines that the order request is unnecessary, he or she operates the delete button B21 or B23. After completing the necessary input, the general crew member operates the approval request button B25. When the approval request button B25 is operated, the server device 10 causes the server display unit 111 to display an approval request screen on the approver's crew terminal 20-2, requesting approval of the order request.

[0048] 9 is a diagram showing an example of a displayed approval request screen. The user display unit 211 of the crew terminal 20-2 displays the approval request screen G3. The approval request screen G3 includes the text "If there are no problems with the content of the order request, please approve it. If there are problems, please return it.", images of the ship supplies C11 and C13 displayed in the example of FIG. 8, the category name, item and remarks, the order quantity, a return button B35, and an approval button B36.

[0049] If there are no problems with the contents of the order request, the approver approves by operating the approve button B36, but if there are problems, the approver operates the return button B35 to return the order request. When the approve button B36 is operated, the server device 10 causes the server display unit 111 to display on the manager terminal 30-1 of the general manager a work instruction screen that instructs the general manager to confirm the order request and proceed with the quotation request as part of the order management work.

[0050] 10 is a diagram showing an example of a displayed work instruction screen. The user display unit 311 of the administrator terminal 30-1 displays the work instruction screen G4. The work instruction screen G4 includes a character string saying, "Please confirm the contents of your order request and request a quote from the business operator.", an image of the marine supplies C11, an input field D41 for the order quantity, an input field D42 for the business operator receiving the quote, an input field D43 for the delivery company name, an input field D44 for the delivery location, an input field D45 for the desired delivery date, a Next button B40, a Delete Order Request button B41, a Return button B45, and a Request a Quote button B46.

[0051] 10 shows the work instruction screen for the order request for ship supplies C11, but operating the Next button B40 switches to the work instruction screen for the order request for ship supplies C13. The general manager changes the order quantity entered in the input field D41 as necessary, and if he determines that the order request is unnecessary, operates the Delete button B41. The general manager also enters the business operator to receive an estimate in the input field D42 based on the type of ship supplies.

[0052] The general manager enters the name of the delivery company at the port 91 where the ship 81 is scheduled to arrive in the input field D43, and the delivery location in the input field D44. The general manager also enters the desired delivery date in the input field D45 based on the ship 81's operation schedule. If the general manager determines that the order request itself cannot be approved or that significant revisions are required, the general manager operates the return button B45 to return the order request. After completing the necessary changes and input for both the ship supplies C11 and C13, the general manager operates the quote request button B46. When the quote request button B46 is operated, the server device 10 causes the server display unit 111 to display an approval request screen on the approver's manager terminal 30-2, requesting approval of the quote request.

[0053] 11 is a diagram showing an example of a displayed approval request screen. The user display unit 311 of the administrator terminal 30-2 displays the approval request screen G5. The approval request screen G5 includes a character string saying, "If there are no problems with the contents of the quotation request, please approve it. If there are problems, please return it.", an image of the marine supplies C11 displayed in the example of FIG. 10, a category name, an item, remarks, and an order quantity, a business operator C52, a delivery company name C53, a delivery location C54, a desired delivery date C55, a Next button B50, a Return button B55, and an Approve button B56.

[0054] The approver checks the contents of the quotation request for the marine supplies C11 and the contents of the quotation request for the marine supplies C13 by operating the Next button B50, and if there are no problems with either, approves by operating the Approve button B56, but if there are any problems with either, returns the quotation request by operating the Return button B55. When the Approve button B56 is operated, the server device 10 causes the server display unit 111 to display a quotation creation screen for creating quotation on the business terminal 40 of the business providing the marine supplies C11 and the business terminal 40 of the business providing the marine supplies C13.

[0055] 12 is a diagram showing an example of a displayed quotation creation screen. The user display unit 411 of the business operator terminal 40 displays the quotation creation screen G6. The quotation creation screen G6 includes a character string saying "Please create a quotation and return it to the supplier.", the marine supplies C11 item, remarks, the supplier company, the order quantity, the desired delivery date, the possible delivery date, and the delivery location, an input field D61 for the total amount, an input field D62 for the shipping fee, an input field D63 for the discount amount, an input field D64 for the total amount, and a "Send to Supplier" button B61.

[0056] When the business operator inputs the amount of the estimate and operates the send button B61, the business operator terminal 40 accepts these operations as an estimate creation operation via the operation acceptance unit 412. When the estimate creation operation is accepted, the server device 10 causes the server display unit 111 to display an estimate presentation screen for presenting the created estimate on the manager terminal 30 of the manager.

[0057] 13 is a diagram showing an example of a displayed estimate presentation screen. The user display unit 311 of the administrator terminal 30-1 displays the estimate presentation screen G7. The estimate presentation screen G7 includes the text "You can place an order for the following estimated amount," as well as the ship supplies C11 item, notes, supplier company, order quantity, desired delivery date, possible delivery date, and delivery location, total amount C71, shipping fee C72, discount amount C73, grand total amount C74, a switch button B71, and an order button B72.

[0058] When the switch button B71 is operated, the user display unit 211 displays a quote sent from another supplier. The manager compares the contents of quotes submitted by one or more businesses for the ship supplies C11, and once the manager has decided on a supplier, operates the order button B72 on the screen displaying the quote from that supplier. When the order button B72 is operated, the server device 10, via the order processing unit 114, executes an order process with the business that provides the ship supplies C11.

[0059] The order processing unit 114 executes the ordering process by transmitting official order data, which indicates the details of the estimate, i.e., the ship supplies to be ordered, items, remarks, the ordering company, the order quantity, the desired delivery date, the possible delivery date, the delivery location, the total price, shipping fees, the discount amount, and the grand total price, to the business terminal 40 of the business receiving the order via the server device 10. When the official order data is transmitted, the business makes arrangements for the delivery of the ordered ship supplies.

[0060] When the business operator arranges for delivery after receiving an order, the server device 10 executes order-related processing related to the order through the order processing unit 115 in cooperation with the business operator terminal 40. The order processing unit 115 executes order-related processing such as securing inventory of the ordered ship supplies, arranging for transportation at the time of delivery, issuing instructions to a transportation person, and printing a voucher. By executing the order-related processing, the ship supplies are delivered to the port 91, and when the ship 81 arrives at the port 91, the ship supplies are loaded onto the ship 81.

[0061] The server device 10 notifies relevant parties (seafarers, managers, business operators) of the status of orders for ship supplies via the notification processing unit 116. The notification processing unit 116 cooperates with the server display unit 111 to send screen data showing a status screen indicating the status of orders for ship supplies to each terminal. The manager terminal 30 and the like display the status screen indicated by the received screen data. The status screen displayed by the manager terminal 30 will be described below.

[0062] FIG. 14 is a diagram showing an example of a displayed status screen. The user display unit 411 of the business operator terminal 40 displays the status screen G8. The status screen G8 is a screen that is displayed when the progress tab TB2 shown in FIG. 5 is selected. The status screen G8 includes an in progress tab TB81 and a completed tab TB82. The in progress tab TB81 is a tab for displaying the status of ship supplies for which ordering is in progress, and the completed tab TB82 is a tab for displaying the status of ship supplies for which delivery has been completed. In FIG. 14, the in progress tab TB81 is selected.

[0063] The status screen G8 displays the statuses ST11, ST13, and ST18 of the ship supplies C11, C13, and C18 for which orders are currently being placed and received, namely, scheduled delivery date, order request, order request confirmation, quotation request, quotation confirmation, order, ordered, and completed.

[0064] "Order request" is a status indicating that a crew member has made an order request. "Order request confirmation" is a status indicating that a manager has confirmed the contents of an order request from a crew member. "Quote request" is a status indicating that a manager has made a request for a quote to a business. "Quote confirmation" is a status indicating that a manager has confirmed the quote presented by a business. "Order placed" is a status indicating that a manager has placed an order with a business. "Ordered" is a status indicating that a business member has accepted (received) an order from the administrator. "Completed" is a status indicating that a business member has delivered the ordered ship supplies.

[0065] For example, status ST11 indicates that a quotation request has been made for ship supplies C11 and that the manager is waiting for confirmation of the quotation. Status ST13 indicates that an order request for ship supplies C13 has been confirmed and that the manager is waiting for a quotation request. Status ST18 indicates that a quotation request for ship supplies C18 has been confirmed and that the manager is waiting for an order.

[0066] Next, we will explain the information processing procedure in the order processing as explained in Figures 5 to 13. In the following explanation, the server device 10, the crew terminal 20, the manager terminal 30, the business operator terminal 40, or each function shown in Figure 4 will be described as the subject of each information processing, but this information processing is executed by at least one processor included in the order management system 1, that is, the processor included in the control unit of each device (control unit 11, control unit 21, control unit 31, and control unit 41).

[0067] 15 is an activity diagram showing an example of ordering processing. The ordering processing is initiated when a general crew member on board the ship 81 performs a display operation to display the inventory management screen. First, the crew terminal 20 (operation reception unit 212) receives the display operation of the inventory management screen by the general crew member (activity A11) and sends a display request for the inventory management screen to the server device 10. Upon receiving this display request, the server device 10 (inventory processing unit 113) reads ship store information for the ship 81 from the inventory DB 1 shown in FIG. 1 (activity A12).

[0068] FIG. 16 is a diagram showing an example of inventory DB1. Inventory DB1 stores ship equipment information in association with a ship ID. The ship ID is identification information for identifying each ship. The ship equipment information is information indicating the image, item, notes, inventory quantity, alert threshold, and last update date of each ship equipment, and includes inventory information. When the server device 10 reads out the ship equipment information stored in association with the ship 81, the server display unit 111 generates an inventory management screen based on the read ship equipment information (activity A13).

[0069] The inventory processing unit 113 detects that the inventory of a marine product is low for which the inventory quantity is less than the alert threshold. The server display unit 111 generates an inventory management screen showing an alert image (e.g., alert images AL1 and AL2 shown in FIG. 6 ) in association with the marine product for which the inventory shortage has been detected and the category of the marine product.

[0070] The server device 10 (server display unit 111) displays the generated inventory management screen on the crew terminal 20 that sent the display request, i.e., the crew terminal 20 used by the general crew member (activity A14). The inventory management screen G1 shown in Figure 5 is an example. The crew terminal 20 (operation reception unit 212) receives a selection operation for the ship supplies to be ordered by the general crew member (activity A21). The selection operation is, for example, an operation of selecting the order request button B11 shown in Figure 5.

[0071] Next, the crew terminal 20 (operation reception unit 212) receives an approval request operation for ordering the selected ship supplies (activity A22). The approval request operation is, for example, an operation on the approval request button B15 shown in FIG. 7 or an operation on the approval request button B25 shown in FIG. 8. When the crew terminal 20 receives the approval request operation, it transmits approval request request data to the server device 10. When the server device 10 (server display unit 111) receives this request data, it generates an approval request screen (activity A23) and displays the generated approval request screen on the crew terminal 20 used by the approver of the ship 81 (activity A24). The approval request screen is, for example, the approval request screen G3 shown in FIG. 9.

[0072] The crew terminal 20 (operation reception unit 212) accepts an approval operation by the approver performed on the approval request screen (activity A31). The approval operation is, for example, an operation on the approval button B36 shown in FIG. 9. When the crew terminal 20 accepts the approval operation, it sends request data for order management work to the general manager to the server device 10. When the server device 10 (server display unit 111) receives this request data, it generates an order management screen (activity A32) and displays it on the manager terminal 30 (activity A33). In this case, the manager terminal 30 is the manager terminal 30 used by the general manager in charge of order management work for the ship 81. The order management screen is, for example, the work instruction screen G4 shown in FIG. 10.

[0073] The manager terminal 30 (operation reception unit 312) accepts a request for quotation operation performed by the general manager on the order management screen (activity A41). The request for quotation operation is, for example, operation on each input field and the request for quotation button B46 shown in FIG. 10. When the manager terminal 30 accepts the request for quotation operation, it transmits approval request data for the created request for quotation to the server device 10. When the server device 10 (server display unit 111) receives this approval request data, it generates an approval request screen (activity A42) and displays it on the manager terminal 30 (activity A43). In this case, the manager terminal 30 is the manager terminal 30 used by the approver responsible for placing orders for the ship 81. The approval request screen is, for example, the approval request screen G5 shown in FIG. 11.

[0074] The manager terminal 30 (operation accepting unit 312) accepts an approval operation by the approver performed on the approval request screen (activity A51). The approval operation is, for example, an operation on the approval button B56 shown in FIG. 11. When the manager terminal 30 accepts the approval operation, it transmits request data for obtaining an estimate to the server device 10. When the server device 10 (server display unit 111) receives this request data, it generates an estimate creation screen for creating an estimate for the corresponding ship supplies (activity A52) and displays it on the business operator terminal 40 of the business operator receiving the estimate (activity A53). The estimate creation screen is, for example, the estimate creation screen G6 shown in FIG. 12.

[0075] The business operator terminal 40 (operation reception unit 412) accepts a quote creation operation performed on the quote creation screen (activity A61). The quote creation operation is, for example, an operation on each input field and the Send to Orderer button B61 shown in FIG. 12. When the business operator terminal 40 accepts the quote creation operation, it transmits quote data indicating the created quote to the server device 10. When the server device 10 (server display unit 111) receives this quote data, it generates a quote presentation screen for presenting the quote indicated by the received quote data (activity A62) and displays it on the administrator terminal 30 of the general administrator (activity A63). The quote presentation screen is, for example, the quote presentation screen G7 shown in FIG. 13.

[0076] The manager terminal 30 (operation reception unit 312) accepts an order operation by the general manager performed on the estimate presentation screen (activity A64). The order operation is, for example, an operation on the order button B72 shown in FIG. 13. When the manager terminal 30 accepts the order operation, it transmits order request data for the estimated marine supplies to the server device 10. When the server device 10 (order processing unit 114 and order receiving processing unit 115) receives this order request data, it executes order-related processing to place and receive orders for the corresponding marine supplies (activity A65).

[0077] The order processing unit 114 generates order information indicating, for example, the name, quantity, price, delivery location, and delivery date and time of the ordered ship supplies, and generates an order screen indicating that the generated order information has been received and displays it on the business operator terminal 40 (activity A66). The business operator checks the order screen and arranges for the ordered ship supplies. The business operator terminal 40 (operation reception unit 412) accepts the business operator's operation to arrange for the ship supplies, and the server device 10 (order processing unit 115) performs processes for arranging the ship supplies, such as placing an order with suppliers, notifying them of delivery dates, and managing delivery dates. In this way, the ship supplies requested by the seafarers are transported to the port 91 where the ship 81 will arrive and loaded onto the ship 81.

[0078] As described above, in the order management system 1, the order processing unit 114 functions as an example of a reception unit that receives an order request for marine supplies displayed on an inventory management screen (for example, the inventory management screen G1 shown in FIG. 5) through an operation on the crew terminal 20. The order processing unit 114 receives the order request for marine supplies based on, for example, an operation on the order request button B11 shown in FIG. 7, an operation on the approval request button B25 shown in FIG. 8, and an operation on the approval button B36 shown in FIG. 9. In this case, an order request for marine supplies is made by selecting the marine supplies through general selection and requesting approval, followed by approval by the approver.

[0079] The server display unit 111 also functions as an example of a second display unit that executes a second display process to display a request screen indicating an order request on the manager terminal 30. For example, the server display unit 111 executes, as the second display process, a process to display a task instruction screen G4 shown in FIG. 10 on the manager terminal 30.

[0080] The order processing unit 114 functions as an example of an order processing unit that, when an administrator approves an order request on the request screen, executes order-related processing for ordering the requested marine supplies. For example, the order processing unit 114 executes, as order-related processing, a quotation request processing executed when the quotation request button B46 shown in FIG. 10 is operated, and an order processing executed when the order button B72 shown in FIG. 13 is operated.

[0081] Since the crew can check the actual inventory of ship supplies on board, they can grasp the accurate inventory situation. Meanwhile, since the manager is involved in work related to ordering ship supplies from various ships, he or she is familiar with the quantity of ship supplies needed and the appropriateness of estimated prices. As described above, the order management system 1 accepts order requests from the crew terminals 20 and executes order-related processing based on operations at the manager terminal 30. This allows the manager, who is aware of information on various ship supplies, to place appropriate orders based on accurate inventory information checked by the crew on board, compared to when only one of the crew terminals 20 or the manager terminal 30 is used.

[0082] In addition, in the order management system 1, the inventory processing unit 113 (an example of a detection unit) detects an inventory shortage of an item when the inventory quantity of the item displayed on the inventory management screen falls below a predetermined threshold. The inventory processing unit 113 detects an inventory shortage of the item, for example, when the inventory quantity of the item falls below an alert threshold (an example of a predetermined threshold). Then, when an inventory shortage is detected, the server device 10 (an example of a processing unit) executes a resolution process to resolve the inventory shortage.

[0083] The server device 10 (an example of a processing unit) executes, as a resolution process, a notification process that notifies a crew member or a manager that an item whose shortage has been detected is in short supply. For example, the server display unit 111 executes the notification process as an example of a processing unit. Specifically, when the inventory quantity of an item (i.e., ship supplies) displayed on the inventory management screen is less than the alert threshold, the server display unit 111 executes, as the notification process, a process that displays an alert image (e.g., alert images AL1 and AL2 shown in FIG. 6 ) associated with the ship supplies.

[0084] The notification process is not limited to this. For example, the notification process may be a process of popping up a character string notifying that ship supplies are in short supply on one or both of the crew terminal 20 and the manager terminal 30, or a process of outputting a sound notifying that fact. In either case, it is possible to make the shortage of stock more noticeable than when the notification process is not performed (when the alert image is not displayed).

[0085] Furthermore, in the order placement and receipt management system 1, the notification processing unit 116 and the server display unit 111 cooperate to function as an example of a fourth display unit that executes a fourth display process for displaying the status of a process executed on the crew terminal 20 and the status of a process executed on the manager terminal 30. "Order request" shown in Figure 14 is an example of the status of a process executed on the crew terminal 20, and "Order request confirmation," "Quote request," "Quote confirmation," and "Order" are examples of the status of a process executed on the manager terminal 30. According to this aspect, it is easier to grasp the situation at sea and the situation on land compared to when the above statuses are not displayed.

[0086] In addition, in the order placement and receipt management system 1, the server display unit 111 functions as an example of a fifth display unit that executes a fifth display process for displaying an approval request for an order request on a first authority terminal used by a first approver who has the authority to approve the order request on the ship 81. The approval request screen G3 shown in Figure 9 is an example of an approval request displayed by the fifth display process, the crew terminal 20-2 on which the approval request screen G3 is displayed is an example of a first authority terminal, and the approver who uses the crew terminal 20-2 is an example of a first approver.

[0087] Furthermore, the server display unit 111 functions as an example of a sixth display unit that executes a sixth display process for causing an administrator to carefully examine an order request approved by an operation on the first authority terminal and then display an approval request for the order request on the second authority terminal. The second authority terminal is a terminal used by a second approver who has the authority to approve the order request. The approval request screen G5 shown in FIG. 11 is an example of an approval request displayed by the sixth display process, the administrator terminal 30-2 on which the approval request screen G5 is displayed is an example of a second authority terminal, and the approver using the administrator terminal 30-2 is an example of the second approver.

[0088] The order processing unit 114 (an example of an order processing unit) then executes order-related processing for the order request approved by the operation on the second authorized person terminal. According to this aspect, when ordering ship supplies, it is possible to obtain the necessary approvals for both sea and land, which makes it possible to more appropriately order the contents of the order than when these approvals are not obtained, and also makes it possible to more clearly identify the responsibility for ordering ship supplies.

[0089] <Variation: Resolution Process> The resolution process for resolving inventory shortages is not limited to the notification process described above. For example, an ordering threshold may be defined as a predetermined threshold for determining whether an inventory shortage exists. The ordering threshold is a threshold that forces an order to be placed if the inventory quantity falls below this threshold. In this case, the server device 10 (an example of a processing unit) executes an ordering process for ordering the item for which an inventory shortage has been detected as the resolution process.

[0090] The ordering process is, for example, a process in which the order processing unit 114 orders marine supplies for which a shortage of inventory has been detected. Other processes that may be executed as ordering processes include displaying items for which a shortage of inventory has been detected on the approval screen A24, the order management screen A33, the approval screen A43, or the estimate creation screen A53 shown in FIG. 15 . These processes are order prompting processes that can prompt an order to be placed. Thus, the ordering process includes an ordering process in which all procedures leading up to an order are omitted, or an order prompting process in which some of the procedures leading up to an order are omitted. In either case, compared to when an inventory shortage is detected but the ordering process is not executed, the order can be placed more quickly because some or all of the procedures leading up to an order are omitted, making it easier to resolve the inventory shortage.

[0091] The server device 10 may perform ordering processing for all ship supplies, or may perform ordering processing only for predetermined types of ship supplies, and may perform notification processing or not perform resolution processing for other types of ship supplies. Predetermined types of ship supplies are, for example, ship supplies that are highly important and for which inventory shortages must be avoided. The ordering threshold may also be different depending on the type of ship supplies. For example, the more important the ship supplies, the higher the ordering threshold. In this way, the more important the ship supplies, the faster the inventory shortage can be resolved.

[0092] <Modification: Rotational Ordering> Ship supplies are not limited to being ordered only when inventory runs low. For example, even if there is remaining inventory, drinking water, food ingredients, and the like will expire after a certain period of time, and so must be ordered. Therefore, the server device 10 (an example of a processing unit) may periodically execute a process to resolve shortages of such predetermined types of items, even if no shortage of inventory is detected. This embodiment allows for the appropriate maintenance of inventory of items that need to be replaced at regular intervals.

[0093] 10 and 11, the names of businesses that will provide estimates for ship supplies are manually entered by a general crew member, but this process may be automated. In this case, for example, the server display unit 111 and the order processing unit 114 (an example of an ordering unit) execute, as order-related processes, a request process for requesting estimates for the ship supplies requested from multiple businesses, and an order process for ordering the ship supplies from a supplier that has been determined based on the estimates submitted in the request.

[0094] The server display unit 111 stores, for example, a business operator table that associates types of marine supplies with businesses that handle those marine supplies. In the business operator table, two or more businesses are associated with each marine supply, except for special marine supplies that are handled by only one business. The server display unit 111 then executes a request process to display a quote creation screen, such as that shown in FIG. 12, on the business operator terminal 40 of the business operator associated with the marine supply requested by the seafarer.

[0095] When estimates are prepared by each business operator, the server display unit 111 displays an estimate presentation screen, such as that shown in FIG. 13 , on the manager terminal 30, showing each estimate. When the manager confirms one of the displayed estimates as the supplier, the order processing unit 114 executes an order processing process, which transmits order information for the marine supplies to the business operator terminal 40 of the confirmed supplier. This configuration eliminates the need for the manager to input a request for estimate or obtain approval, thereby reducing the manager's workload in ordering compared to when the request processing and order processing are not executed.

[0096] <Modification: New Functional Configuration> The functions of the order management system 1 are not limited to those shown in Fig. 4. Fig. 17 is a diagram showing another example of the functional configuration of the control unit of each device. The control unit 11 of the server device 10 includes a port determination unit 117, an information acquisition unit 118, and a registration processing unit 119 in addition to the units shown in Fig. 4. Each function will be described in the following modification.

[0097] <Modification: Varying the Threshold> An example of varying the predetermined threshold used when determining whether or not to perform the resolution process will be described. In this case, for example, the port determination unit 117 functions as an example of a determination unit that determines a port at which ship supplies displayed on the inventory management screen can be received. The port determination unit 117, for example, accesses a management system that manages the operation plan of the ship 81, and identifies a port at which the ship 81 is scheduled to enter by referring to the operation plan of the ship 81. Here, not all types of ship supplies can be delivered to ports around the world, and there are many ports where the types of ship supplies that can be delivered are limited.

[0098] Therefore, the server device 10 stores, for example, a port-specific delivery list that associates ports around the world with ship supplies that can be delivered to those ports. The port determination unit 117 references the stored port-specific delivery list and determines, from among the identified ports, a port that can receive the ship supplies displayed on the inventory management screen. The inventory processing unit 113 (an example of a detection unit) then uses a value corresponding to the number of days until the ship arrives at the port determined by the port determination unit 117 as a predetermined threshold.

[0099] For example, the inventory processing unit 113 uses a larger value as the predetermined threshold value as the number of days until the ship's arrival increases. Note that in the example of Figure 5, the crew manually inputs and changes the predetermined threshold value, but in this case, the inventory processing unit 113 automatically sets the predetermined threshold value. Since the number of days until arrival at port increases, the greater the inventory loss during the remaining voyage, by increasing the predetermined threshold value and executing a resolution process (alert process or ordering process) earlier, inventory shortages can be detected as early as possible compared to when the predetermined threshold value is not changed, allowing for a sufficiently long delivery time and reducing the risk of not being able to resolve the inventory shortage.

[0100] The inventory processing unit 113 (an example of a detection unit) may use a larger threshold value as the delivery period (so-called delivery date) of the ship supplies displayed on the inventory management screen increases. In this case, the server device 10 stores a period table that associates each ship supply with its delivery date. The inventory processing unit 113 refers to the period table and identifies the period associated with the ship supply displayed on the inventory management screen as the delivery date of the ship supply.

[0101] The inventory processing unit 113 then detects inventory shortages by using a larger value as the predetermined threshold value as the identified delivery date becomes longer. In this case, as in the above example, the inventory processing unit 113 automatically sets the predetermined threshold value. According to this embodiment, it is possible to more reliably deliver ship supplies in time for the period the ship will be staying at port, compared to when the predetermined threshold value is not changed.

[0102] <Modification: Display of Price Difference> The server display unit 111 may function as an example of a third display unit that executes a third display process for displaying the difference between the highest quote among quotes submitted by multiple businesses and the quote from the supplier. The highest quote may be the highest quote among the competitive quotes obtained at the time of placing the order, or it may be the highest quote including quotes obtained in the past for the same marine equipment. This embodiment allows the user to realize the cost reduction effect.

[0103] <Modification: Desired Delivery Period> The information acquisition unit 118 may function as an example of a first acquisition unit that acquires stay information indicating the planned stay period of the ship 81 at the port 91. The information acquisition unit 118, for example, accesses a management system that manages the operation plan of the ship 81, and acquires, as the stay information, information indicating the planned stay period of the ship 81 at the port 91 by referring to the operation plan of the ship 81. Then, the order processing unit 114 (an example of an ordering unit) may execute the request process using, as the desired delivery period, a period included in the planned stay period indicated by the stay information acquired by the information acquisition unit 118. According to this aspect, it is possible to order ship supplies with an appropriate delivery date.

[0104] The information acquisition unit 118 also functions as an example of a second acquisition unit that acquires variation information indicating factors that change the sailing schedule of the ship 81. The information acquisition unit 118, for example, accesses the above-mentioned management system and repeatedly refers to the operation plan of the ship 81 to acquire differences in the operation plan as variation information of the ship 81. The information acquisition unit 118 also acquires a weather forecast for the route indicated by the operation plan of the ship 81 as variation information of the ship 81. When there is an emergency call from the ship 81 indicating a change in the operation plan, the information acquisition unit 118 acquires the emergency call as variation information of the ship 81.

[0105] The notification processing unit 116 (an example of a notification unit) executes a notification process for notifying the supplier of the delivery date of the ordered ship supplies. The notification processing unit 116 cooperates with the server display unit 111 to notify the supplier of the delivery date of the ship supplies, for example, by displaying the date in the "Scheduled Delivery Date" field shown in FIG. 14. The notification processing unit 116 then notifies the supplier of the change in delivery date when the expected stay period is changed based on the factors indicated by the change information acquired by the information acquisition unit 118.

[0106] The notification processing unit 116 notifies the crew, manager, and operator of the change in delivery date by, for example, cooperating with the server display unit 111 and changing the date displayed in the "Scheduled Delivery Date" field to a date included in the changed planned stay period. According to this aspect, it is easier to respond to changes in the planned stay period of the ship 81 than when the change in delivery date is not notified.

[0107] Furthermore, the stay information may indicate the planned duration of stay at each of two or more ports. In such a case, the order processing unit 115 (an example of an ordering unit) executes order-related processing for a port that can deliver the ship supplies indicated in the order request during the planned duration of stay, among the two or more ports indicated in the stay information acquired by the information acquisition unit 118. Because the stay period at a port is limited, the ship supplies cannot be delivered to the ship unless they are delivered during that stay period. Therefore, by limiting the order to ship supplies that can be delivered during the planned duration of stay, it is possible to reduce unnecessary orders compared to when this limitation is not imposed.

[0108] <Modification: Item Registration> The registration processing unit 119 functions as an example of a registration unit that accepts operations from multiple businesses to register marine goods that they each handle as registered items. The registration processing unit 119 accepts input of, for example, images, category names, items, notes, and prices of the marine goods, and accepts registration by storing the input information in association with each other. Next, the server display unit 111 displays the registration information registered for each marine goods on the inventory management screen, associated with each marine goods.

[0109] Next, the server display unit 111 (an example of a first display unit) displays on the crew terminal 20 the registered items associated with the marine supplies on the inventory management screen. Next, the order processing unit 115 (an example of a reception unit) accepts the operation of selecting the registered items displayed on the inventory management screen as an operation of ordering the marine supplies associated with the registered items. Then, when the order request for the selected registered items is approved by the manager, the order processing unit 115 (an example of an ordering unit) executes the ordering process, placing the order with the business that registered the registered items as the supplier. According to this aspect, the registered marine supplies are displayed on the inventory management screen, allowing businesses to directly promote their own marine supplies to sailors.

[0110] <Modification: Anonymous Bulletin Board> The order processing unit 115 (an example of an order unit) executes, as an order-related process, a bulletin board display process that displays a bulletin board on which estimates submitted in response to estimate requests from an administrator are anonymously posted, in cooperation with the server display unit 111. Then, when a supplier is determined based on the estimates posted on the bulletin board, the order processing unit 115 discloses information about the supplier to enable order processing.

[0111] The quotes submitted by businesses are based on the requested conditions (client, quantity, delivery date, etc.), and may differ from the quotes submitted under different conditions. In such cases, even if the quote conditions are different, different quotes may cause distrust. In contrast, when quotes are posted anonymously as described above, there is no need to worry about quotes being compared, making it easier to submit quotes for ship supplies than when quotes are posted under real names.

[0112] <Modification: Offline Processing> The inventory processing unit 113 functions as an example of an update unit that updates an inventory database (inventory DB1 shown in Figure 1) that shows the inventory of ship supplies on board the ship 81. Here, the crew terminal 20 communicates with the server device 10 via wireless communication with the satellite 73 as described in Figure 1, so there are online periods when communication conditions are good and offline periods when communication is not possible. During the online periods, the server display unit 111 (first display unit) displays the contents of the inventory database on the crew terminal 20 as an inventory management screen.

[0113] However, during the offline period, the crew terminal 20 cannot access the inventory DB1 stored in the server device 10. Therefore, the server display unit 111 (first display unit) executes a process of creating a copy of the inventory database in advance on the crew terminal 20 during the online period as a first display process during the offline period. Meanwhile, if the crew updates the inventory information during the offline period, the crew terminal 20 reflects the new inventory information in the copied inventory database, and when the online period resumes, reflects the updated inventory information in the inventory database stored in the server device 10. According to this embodiment, work can be carried out even when communication between the sea and land is not possible.

[0114] <Modification: Automatic Inventory Check> Sensors for measuring inventory levels may be provided in ship's stores on board the ship 81. Examples of sensors for measuring inventory levels include a liquid level sensor for measuring the amount of fuel oil, a weight sensor provided on a tray for consumables, and a counting sensor that communicates with RFRD (Radio Frequency Identification) tags attached to each ship's store when such tags are attached. The server display unit 111 (an example of a first display unit) displays an inventory management screen that shows a first inventory level based on the measurement results of the sensors and a second inventory level checked by the crew.

[0115] The order processing unit 115 (an example of an ordering unit) then executes order-related processing for only order requests based on the second inventory amount for predetermined marine supplies. The predetermined marine supplies are, for example, marine supplies that are more important than general marine supplies, specifically fuel, lubricants, drinking water, etc. This configuration improves both convenience and safety of ordering compared to when order-related processing is executed for order requests based on the first inventory amount for all marine supplies.

[0116] In the above example, the inventory amount is measured by a sensor, but the inventory amount may also be recognized from, for example, an image of the inventory. In this case, an image of the inventory showing the inventory of ship supplies is first taken by an imaging device that is grounded so as to be able to take an image of the inventory location or an imaging device that is carried and operated by a crew member, and the image is then uploaded to the server device 10.

[0117] The server device 10 recognizes inventory areas in which inventory is captured from the uploaded inventory images. For example, a pattern recognition method is used to recognize inventory areas. This method stores pattern images of each ship's goods in advance, and determines areas whose similarity to the pattern images is equal to or greater than a threshold as inventory areas in which ship's goods are captured. Other well-known techniques may also be used to recognize inventory. The server device 10 identifies the recognized ship's goods from the pattern images used for recognition, and stores the inventory images in the inventory DB 1 in association with the identified ship's goods.

[0118] FIG. 18 is a diagram showing another example of the inventory DB 1. In the example of FIG. 18, in addition to the information shown in FIG. 16, inventory images are stored. The server device 10 also generates information related to the recognized ship supplies as tag information and stores the tag information in the inventory DB 1 in association with the ship supplies. The tag information includes, for example, the name, inventory quantity, and size of the ship supplies. The server device 10 also stores location information indicating the location where the inventory was photographed in association with the inventory image.

[0119] For example, when a storage location for each ship store is determined on the ship 81, the server device 10 pre-stores location information indicating the storage location for each ship store. The location information is, for example, information such as the name of the ship that indicates each storage location (such as "storage room," "deck storage location," and "freezer") or an image indicating the storage location on a map of the ship. The server device 10 then identifies the storage location of the identified ship store based on the location information and stores information indicating the identified storage location as location information in association with the identified special item. Like the location information, the location information is information such as a name or image indicating the storage location.

[0120] The server device 10 displays an inventory image on, for example, the inventory management screen G1 shown in FIG. 5. In this case, tag information is displayed in the inventory image in association with the area of ​​the recognized ship supplies. The server device 10 may also display a link from the inventory image to display location information. By displaying the inventory image, tag information, and location information in this manner, the inventory status can be communicated in more detail than if these information were not displayed.

[0121] <Variation: Maintenance Collaboration> Ship supplies also include maintenance parts for the ship 81. Some maintenance parts are installed on the ship 81 so that maintenance work can be performed even while the ship 81 is sailing. In this case, the server display unit 111 (an example of the first display unit) may execute, as the first display process, a process for displaying a screen showing the inventory of maintenance parts used in maintenance work on the ship 81 as an inventory management screen.

[0122] For example, the ship 81 uses a PMS (Planned Maintenance System) in addition to the order management system 1, and the quantity of maintenance parts is stored in the PMS database. In this case, the inventory processing unit 113 requests the PMS to notify the quantity of maintenance parts and acquires the notified quantity as the inventory quantity of maintenance parts. The server display unit 111 displays an inventory management screen showing the acquired inventory quantity of maintenance parts on the crew terminal 20.

[0123] When ordering maintenance parts, the maintenance company may obtain the exact model number and quantity of the maintenance parts, since they are most familiar with the information. In this case, the maintenance parts are ordered only after an on-shore approver approves the estimate. This type of configuration allows for appropriate ordering of maintenance parts. Note that the server device 10 (an example of an ordering unit) may not order maintenance parts based on estimates other than those obtained by the maintenance company. This is because estimates obtained by parties other than the maintenance company (e.g., an administrator) may not include accurate maintenance parts. In this case, more appropriate ordering of maintenance parts can be performed compared to when the estimates that can be ordered are not limited.

[0124] 1, a business providing marine supplies also uses the order management system 1, and order-related processing is performed by the server device 10. However, this is not limited to this. For example, there are businesses that do not accept online orders and only accept orders via fax. In such cases where an order recipient only accepts orders via fax, the order processing unit 114 (an example of an ordering unit) may execute, as order-related processing, a process for sending a purchase order for the item to the recipient by fax.

[0125] Specifically, the server device 10 generates, for example, an order form image showing an order form and provides the generated order form image and the supplier's fax number to a fax application using an API (Application Programming Interface). The fax application faxes the provided order form image to the provided fax number, thereby placing an order with the supplier via fax. This configuration allows orders to be placed with suppliers that only accept faxes.

[0126] Furthermore, if the supplier accepts orders via email other than fax, the order processing unit 114 (an example of an order unit) may execute, as order-related processing, a process for sending an order form for the item to the supplier via email. In this case, the server device 10 generates a PDF file representing the order form and provides the generated PDF file of the order form and an email address to the email application using an API. The email application then sends the provided PDF file to the provided email address, thereby placing an order with the supplier via email. According to this embodiment, it is possible to place an order with a supplier that only accepts email.

[0127] Furthermore, the server device 10 may generate a purchase order image or a PDF file showing the purchase order based on the quotation information displayed on the quotation presentation screen G7 shown in Fig. 13. For example, the server device 10 stores layout information for the purchase order in advance, and generates a purchase order image or a PDF file showing the purchase order in which the quotation details included in the quotation information (items, notes, supplier company, order quantity, desired delivery date, possible delivery date, delivery location, total amount, shipping fee, discount amount, grand total, etc.) are arranged in the positions indicated by the layout information. This eliminates the need for an administrator to perform input work to create a purchase order.

[0128] <Modifications: Variations in Configuration> For example, the server device 10 may be distributed across two or more devices, or may be replaced by a cloud computing system. Furthermore, the operation performed by one function shown in FIG. 4 and the like may be distributed across two or more functions, or two or more functions may be integrated into one function. Furthermore, the inventory DB 1 and the order DB 2 shown in FIG. 1 may be integrated, or each may be divided into two or more DBs. In short, as long as the functions shown in FIG. 4 and the like are realized by the entire order management system 1, any configuration may be used to realize those functions.

[0129] The above-described embodiments are described as information processing devices such as the server device 10 and information processing systems such as the order management system 1 including the server device 10, but may also be information processing methods. The information processing methods include processing steps executed by the information processing system. The above-described embodiments may also be programs. The programs cause a computer to execute processing steps executed by a similar information processing system.

[0130] <Additional Notes> Furthermore, the present invention may be provided in the following aspects.

[0131] (1) An information processing system having a processor, wherein the processor, in a first display step, executes a first display process for displaying an inventory management screen for items to be loaded on a ship on a crew terminal, the crew terminal being a terminal used by a crew member on board the ship; in a reception step, an order request for items to be displayed on the inventory management screen is received by operation on the crew terminal; in a second display step, executes a second display process for displaying a request screen showing the order request on an administrator terminal, the administrator terminal being a terminal used by an administrator not on board the ship; and in an ordering step, when the administrator operates to approve the order request on the request screen, executes order-related processing for ordering the items for which the order request has been made.

[0132] According to this embodiment, it is possible to place an appropriate order based on accurate inventory information.

[0133] (2) In the information processing system described in (1) above, in the detection step, the processor detects a shortage of inventory of an item when the inventory quantity of the item displayed on the inventory management screen falls below a predetermined threshold, and in the processing step, when the shortage of inventory is detected, executes a resolution process to resolve the shortage of inventory.

[0134] This makes it easier to prevent problems caused by inventory shortages.

[0135] (3) In the information processing system described in (2) above, in the processing step, the processor executes an alert process as the resolution process to alert the crew member or the manager that there is a shortage of inventory for the item for which the shortage of inventory has been detected.

[0136] According to this aspect, shortages of stock can be easily noticed.

[0137] (4) In the information processing system described in (2) or (3) above, the processor executes an ordering process to order the item for which the inventory shortage has been detected as the resolution process in the processing step.

[0138] According to this aspect, inventory shortages can be easily resolved.

[0139] (5) In the information processing system described in any one of (2) to (4) above, the processor executes the resolution process at regular intervals for a specified type of item in the processing step, even if the inventory shortage is not detected.

[0140] According to this embodiment, it is possible to appropriately maintain inventory of items that need to be replaced at regular intervals.

[0141] (6) In the information processing system described in any one of (2) to (5) above, in the determination step, the processor determines a port where goods displayed on the inventory management screen can be received, and in the detection step, uses a value corresponding to the number of days until the ship arrives at the determined port as the threshold value.

[0142] According to this embodiment, the risk of not being able to resolve the inventory shortage can be reduced.

[0143] (7) In the information processing system described in any one of (2) to (6) above, in the detection step, the processor uses a larger value as the threshold value the longer the period required for delivery of the items displayed on the inventory management screen.

[0144] According to this embodiment, it is possible to more reliably ensure that the delivery of ship supplies is completed in time for the period when the ship is staying at port.

[0145] (8) In the information processing system described in any one of (1) to (7) above, in the ordering step, if the supplier of the item only accepts orders by fax, the processor executes, as the order-related processing, a process for sending an order form for the item to the supplier by fax.

[0146] According to this embodiment, it is possible to place an order with a supplier that only accepts faxes.

[0147] (9) In the information processing system described in any one of (1) to (8) above, the processor executes, as the first display process, a process for displaying a screen showing the inventory of maintenance parts used in maintenance work on the ship as the inventory management screen in the first display step.

[0148] According to this aspect, maintenance parts can also be appropriately ordered.

[0149] (10) In the information processing system described in any one of (1) to (9) above, in the ordering step, the processor executes, as the order-related processing, a request process for requesting estimates for the item for which the order request has been made from multiple businesses, and an order process for ordering the item from a supplier determined based on the estimates presented in the request.

[0150] According to this aspect, the burden on the administrator in placing orders can be reduced.

[0151] (11) In the information processing system described in (10) above, in the third display step, the processor executes a third display process to display the difference between the highest estimated amount among the estimates presented by the multiple businesses and the estimated amount from the supplier.

[0152] According to this embodiment, the cost reduction effect can be realized.

[0153] (12) In the information processing system described in (10) or (11) above, in the first acquisition step, the processor acquires stay information indicating the planned stay period of the ship at the port, and in the ordering step, executes the request processing with the period included in the planned stay period indicated by the acquired stay information as the desired delivery period.

[0154] According to this embodiment, it is possible to order goods with appropriate delivery dates.

[0155] (13) In the information processing system described in (12) above, in a second acquisition step, the processor acquires fluctuation information indicating factors that fluctuate the ship's voyage schedule, and in a notification step, executes a notification process to notify the supplier of the delivery date of the goods ordered, and notifies the supplier of the change in delivery date if the factors indicated by the acquired fluctuation information indicate that the planned stay period will change.

[0156] According to this embodiment, it is possible to easily respond to changes in the planned duration of a ship's stay.

[0157] (14) In the information processing system described in (12) or (13) above, the stay information indicates the planned stay period at each of two or more ports, and in the ordering step, the processor executes the order-related processing for a port, among the two or more ports indicated by the acquired stay information, that can deliver the goods indicated in the order request during the planned stay period.

[0158] According to this embodiment, it is possible to reduce unnecessary orders.

[0159] (15) In the information processing system described in any one of (10) to (14) above, in the registration step, the processor accepts operations from the multiple businesses to register items that they each handle as registered items; in the first display step, the processor displays the registered items on the crew terminal in association with the items on the inventory management screen; in the reception step, the processor accepts an operation to select an item displayed on the inventory management screen from the registered items as an operation for the order request; and in the ordering step, when the order request for the selected registered item is approved by the manager, the processor executes the order processing with the business that registered the registered item as the order recipient.

[0160] According to this embodiment, businesses can directly promote their products to seafarers.

[0161] (16) In the information processing system described in any one of (10) to (15) above, in the ordering step, the processor executes a message board display process as the order-related process, which displays a message board on which the estimates submitted in response to the request are posted anonymously, and when the supplier is determined based on the estimates posted on the message board, information about the supplier is disclosed, making it possible to process the order.

[0162] According to this aspect, it is possible to easily present an estimated price for an item.

[0163] (17) In the information processing system described in any one of (1) to (16) above, the processor executes a fourth display process in a fourth display step to display the status of the processing executed on the crew terminal and the status of the processing executed on the administrator terminal.

[0164] According to this aspect, it is possible to easily grasp the conditions on the sea and the conditions on land.

[0165] (18) In the information processing system described in any one of (1) to (17) above, the processor, in a fifth display step, executes a fifth display process for displaying an approval request for the order request on a first authorized terminal used by a first approver who has the authority to approve the order request on the ship, and in a sixth display step, executes a sixth display process for displaying an approval request for the order request on a second authorized terminal used by a second approver who has the authority to approve the order request after the administrator has examined the order request approved by operation on the first authorized terminal, and in the ordering step, executes the order-related process for the order request approved by operation on the second authorized terminal.

[0166] According to this embodiment, it is possible to obtain the necessary approvals for both sea and land use.

[0167] (19) In the information processing system described in any one of (1) to (18) above, the crew terminal has an online period and an offline period, and the processor, in an update step, updates an inventory database indicating the inventory of items carried on the ship, and in the first display step, during the online period, causes the crew terminal to display the contents of the inventory database as an inventory management screen, and executes a process of creating a copy of the inventory database in advance on the crew terminal during the online period as a first display process during the offline period.

[0168] According to this embodiment, business can be carried out even if communication between sea and land is not possible.

[0169] (20) In the information processing system described in any one of (1) to (19) above, the items carried by the ship are provided with sensors that measure inventory quantities, and in the first display step, the processor displays an inventory management screen showing a first inventory quantity based on the measurement results of the sensor and a second inventory quantity confirmed by the crew, and in the ordering step, for a specified item, performs the order-related processing only for order requests based on the second inventory quantity.

[0170] According to this embodiment, it is possible to improve convenience and safety when ordering.

[0171] (21) An information processing method comprising the steps of the information processing system according to any one of (1) to (20) above.

[0172] According to this embodiment, it is possible to place an appropriate order based on accurate inventory information.

[0173] (22) A program that causes a computer to execute each step of the information processing system described in any one of (1) to (20) above.

[0174] According to this aspect, it is possible to place an appropriate order based on accurate inventory information. Of course, this is not limited to this. Furthermore, the above-described embodiments and modifications may be combined in any desired manner.

[0175] Finally, while various embodiments of the present invention have been described, these are presented by way of example only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. The novel embodiments may be embodied in various other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. The embodiments and their modifications are intended to be included within the scope and spirit of the invention, as well as within the scope of the inventions and their equivalents as defined in the appended claims.

[0176] 1: Order management system, 10: Server device, 11: Control unit, 20: Crew terminal, 21: Control unit, 30: Manager terminal, 31: Control unit, 40: Business operator terminal, 41: Control unit, 71: Communication line, 72: Ground antenna, 73: Satellite, 81: Ship, 82: Inboard communication line, 83: Onboard antenna, 91: Port, 92: Transport vehicle, 93: Ship supplies, 111: Server display unit, 112: User authentication unit, 113: Inventory processing unit, 114: Order processing unit, 115: Order processing unit, 116: Notification processing unit, 117: Port determination unit, 118: Information acquisition unit, 119: Registration processing unit, 211: User display unit, 212: Operation reception unit, 311: User display unit, 312: Operation reception unit, 411: User display unit, 412: Operation reception unit

Claims

1. An information processing system having a processor, wherein the processor: in a first display step, executes a first display process for displaying an inventory management screen of items to be loaded on the ship on a crew terminal, the crew terminal being a terminal used by a crew member on board the ship; in a reception step, accepts an order request for items to be displayed on the inventory management screen through an operation on the crew terminal; in a second display step, executes a second display process for displaying a request screen indicating the order request on an administrator terminal, the administrator terminal being a terminal used by an administrator not on board the ship; and in an ordering step, when an operation of the administrator to approve the order request is performed on the request screen, executes order-related processing for ordering the items for which the order request has been made.

2. An information processing system as described in claim 1, wherein the processor, in a detection step, detects a shortage of an item when the inventory quantity of the item displayed on the inventory management screen falls below a predetermined threshold, and in a processing step, when the inventory shortage is detected, executes a resolution process to resolve the inventory shortage.

3. An information processing system as described in claim 2, wherein the processor executes, as the resolution process, a notification process for notifying the crew member or the manager that there is a shortage of stock of the item for which the shortage has been detected, in the processing step.

4. An information processing system according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the processor, in the processing step, executes an ordering process for ordering the item for which the shortage of stock has been detected as the resolution process.

5. An information processing system according to any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein the processor, in the processing step, executes the resolution process for a predetermined type of item at regular intervals even if the shortage of inventory has not been detected.

6. An information processing system according to any one of claims 2 to 5, wherein the processor, in the determination step, determines a port at which the goods displayed on the inventory management screen can be received, and in the detection step, uses as the threshold a value corresponding to the number of days until the ship arrives at the determined port.

7. An information processing system according to any one of claims 2 to 6, wherein in the detection step, the processor uses a larger value as the threshold value the longer the period required for delivery of the items displayed on the inventory management screen.

8. An information processing system according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein in the ordering step, if the supplier of the item only accepts orders by fax, the processor executes, as the order-related process, a process for sending a purchase order for the item to the supplier by fax.

9. An information processing system according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein in the first display step, the processor executes a process for displaying a screen showing an inventory of maintenance parts used in maintenance work on the ship as the inventory management screen as the first display process.

10. An information processing system according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein in the ordering step, the processor executes, as the order-related processes, a request process for requesting estimates for the item for which the order has been requested from a plurality of businesses, and an ordering process for ordering the item from a supplier determined based on the estimate presented in the request.

11. An information processing system according to claim 10, wherein the processor executes a third display process in a third display step for displaying the difference between the highest estimated amount among the estimates submitted by the plurality of businesses and the estimated amount from the supplier.

12. An information processing system as described in claim 10 or 11, wherein the processor, in a first acquisition step, acquires stay information indicating the planned period of stay of the ship at the port, and, in the ordering step, executes the request processing with a period included in the planned period of stay indicated by the acquired stay information as the desired delivery period.

13. An information processing system as described in claim 12, wherein the processor, in a second acquisition step, acquires fluctuation information indicating factors that fluctuate the ship's voyage schedule, and, in a notification step, executes a notification process to notify the supplier of the delivery date of the goods ordered, and notifies the supplier of the fluctuation in the delivery date if the factors indicated by the acquired fluctuation information indicate that the planned stay period will change.

14. An information processing system as described in claim 12 or claim 13, wherein the stay information indicates a planned period of stay at each of two or more ports, and in the ordering step, the processor executes the order-related processing for a port, among the two or more ports indicated by the acquired stay information, that can deliver the goods indicated by the order request during the planned period of stay.

15. An information processing system according to any one of claims 10 to 14, wherein the processor, in a registration step, accepts an operation from the multiple businesses to register an item that each of them handles as a registered item; in the first display step, causes the registered item to be displayed on the crew terminal in correspondence with the item on the inventory management screen; in the reception step, accepts an operation to select an item displayed on the inventory management screen from the registered items as an operation for the order request; and in the ordering step, when an order request for the selected registered item is approved by the manager, executes the order processing with the business that registered the registered item as the order recipient.

16. An information processing system according to any one of claims 10 to 15, wherein in the ordering step, the processor executes a message board display process as the order-related process, which displays a message board on which quotations submitted in response to the request are anonymously posted, and when the supplier is determined based on the quotation posted on the message board, information about the supplier is disclosed, thereby enabling the order processing.

17. An information processing system according to any one of claims 1 to 16, wherein the processor executes a fourth display process in a fourth display step for displaying the status of the process executed on the crew terminal and the status of the process executed on the manager terminal.

18. An information processing system according to any one of claims 1 to 17, wherein the processor, in a fifth display step, executes a fifth display process for displaying an approval request for the order request on a first authority terminal used by a first approver who has the authority to approve the order request on the ship, and, in a sixth display step, executes a sixth display process for displaying an approval request for the order request on a second authority terminal used by a second approver who has the authority to approve the order request after the manager has examined the order request approved by operation on the first authority terminal, and, in the ordering step, executes the order-related process for the order request approved by operation on the second authority terminal.

19. An information processing system according to any one of claims 1 to 18, wherein the crew terminal has an online period and an offline period, and the processor, in an update step, updates an inventory database indicating the inventory of items carried by the ship, and in the first display step, causes the crew terminal to display the contents of the inventory database as an inventory management screen during the online period, and executes a process of creating a copy of the inventory database in advance on the crew terminal during the online period as a first display process during the offline period.

20. An information processing system according to any one of claims 1 to 19, wherein an item carried by the ship is provided with a sensor for measuring an inventory amount, and the processor, in the first display step, displays an inventory management screen showing a first inventory amount based on the measurement result of the sensor and a second inventory amount confirmed by the crew member, and, in the ordering step, for a specified item, executes the order-related processing only for order requests based on the second inventory amount.

21. An information processing method comprising the steps of the information processing system according to any one of claims 1 to 20.

22. A program causing a computer to execute each step of the information processing system according to any one of claims 1 to 20.

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