Delivery assistance system, delivery assistance method, and recording medium

Abstract

The present invention provides a delivery assistance system, a delivery assistance method, and a recording medium that can also handle situations in which a user who was scheduled to be at home is away because of a sudden errand or the like.　The delivery assistance system includes: a determination means that, in response to a request from a terminal of a delivery company, determines a reservation time of a vehicle of a car sharing system to be secured as a delivery destination on the basis of a rule determined in advance with a recipient; a retrieval means that retrieves, on the basis of the reservation time, a vehicle of the car sharing system that is available for use in the neighborhood of the delivery destination; a reservation means that reserves the retrieved vehicle of the car sharing system as a delivery destination and obtains door-lock unlocking information; and a notification means that provides to the terminal of the delivery company and the recipient a notification of information about the reserved vehicle of the car sharing system and the door-lock unlocking information.

Description

Delivery support system, delivery support method, and recording medium

[0001] The present invention relates to a delivery assistance system, a delivery assistance method, and a recording medium.

[0002] A trunk sharing system is known as one of the methods for delivering parcels in a delivery service, in which the trunk (luggage compartment) of a vehicle designated by the user is used as the delivery location. Patent Document 1 discloses a car sharing system that allows a trunk of a car sharing system to be reserved as the trunk.

[0003] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2019-121127

[0004] General delivery boxes and the car sharing system described in Patent Document 1 are based on the premise that a user who plans to be away from home makes a reservation, and there is a problem in that they cannot accommodate cases where a user who planned to be at home suddenly leaves the home and is absent.

[0005] The present disclosure aims to provide a delivery support system, a delivery support method, and a recording medium that can accommodate cases where a user who was scheduled to be at home suddenly leaves the home and is absent.

[0006] According to a first aspect, a delivery support system is provided that includes: a determination means for determining a reservation time for a car sharing system vehicle to be secured as a delivery destination based on rules predetermined between the delivery destination and the delivery company in response to a request from the delivery company's terminal; a search means for searching for a car sharing system vehicle that is available in the vicinity of the delivery destination based on the reservation time; a reservation means for reserving the searched car sharing system vehicle as a delivery destination and obtaining door lock release information; and a notification means for notifying the delivery company's terminal and the delivery destination of the reserved car sharing system vehicle information and door lock release information.

[0007] According to a second aspect, a delivery support method is provided which, in response to a request from a delivery company's terminal, determines a reservation time for a car sharing system vehicle to be secured as a delivery destination based on rules predetermined between the delivery company and the delivery destination, searches for car sharing system vehicles available in the vicinity of the delivery destination based on the reservation time, reserves the searched car sharing system vehicle as a delivery destination, obtains door lock release information, and notifies the delivery company's terminal and the delivery destination of the reserved car sharing system vehicle information and door lock release information.

[0008] According to a third aspect, a recording medium is provided that stores a program that causes a computer to execute the following processes: in response to a request from a delivery company's terminal, determining a reservation time for a car sharing system vehicle to be secured as a delivery destination based on rules predetermined between the delivery company and the delivery destination; searching for a car sharing system vehicle that is available in the vicinity of the delivery destination based on the reservation time; reserving the searched car sharing system vehicle as a delivery destination and obtaining door lock release information; and notifying the delivery company's terminal and the delivery destination of the reserved car sharing system vehicle information and door lock release information.

[0009] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to provide a delivery support system, a delivery support method, and a recording medium that can respond even when a user who was scheduled to be at home suddenly leaves the home and is absent.

[0010] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing one configuration of the present disclosure. FIG. 2 is a flow chart showing the operation of the present disclosure. FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining the operation of the present disclosure. FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining the operation of the present disclosure. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing one configuration of the present disclosure. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing one configuration of a delivery support system of the present disclosure. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of delivery destination information held by the delivery support system of the present disclosure. FIG. 8 is a sequence diagram showing the operation of the present disclosure. FIG. 9 is a diagram showing another configuration of the delivery support system of the present disclosure. FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining another operation of the present disclosure. FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an example of a vehicle used in the present disclosure. FIG. 12 is a diagram showing the configuration of a computer constituting the delivery support system of the present disclosure.

[0011] First, an overview of one embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. In this disclosure, the drawings relate to one or more embodiments. The reference numerals in the drawings attached to this overview are attached to each element for convenience as an example to facilitate understanding, and are not intended to limit the present disclosure to the illustrated form. Furthermore, connecting lines between blocks in the drawings and the like referred to in the following description include both bidirectional and unidirectional lines. Unidirectional arrows are used to schematically indicate the flow of main signals (data) and do not exclude bidirectionality. A program is executed via a computer device, which includes, for example, a processor, a storage device, an input device, a communication interface, and, if necessary, a display device. Furthermore, this computer device is configured to be able to communicate with internal or external devices (including computers) via the communication interface, whether wired or wireless. Although ports or interfaces are present at the input / output connection points of each block in the drawings, they are not shown.

[0012] In one embodiment, the present disclosure can be realized by a delivery support system 10 including a determination unit 11, a search unit 12, a reservation unit 13, and a notification unit 14, as shown in FIG. 1 . More specifically, in response to a request from a terminal of a delivery company, the determination unit 11 determines a reservation time for a car sharing system vehicle to be reserved as a delivery destination based on a rule previously established between the delivery company and the delivery destination. The search unit 12 searches for available carsharing systems vehicles near the delivery destination based on the reservation time. The reservation unit 13 reserves the searched carsharing system vehicle as a delivery destination and obtains door lock release information. The notification unit 14 notifies the delivery company terminal and the delivery destination of the reserved car sharing system vehicle information and door lock release information.

[0013] The delivery support system 10 configured as described above operates as follows. First, in response to a request from a terminal of a delivery company, the delivery support system 10 determines a reservation time for a car sharing system vehicle to be reserved as a delivery destination based on a rule previously determined between the delivery company and the delivery destination (step S01 in FIG. 2). Examples of the predetermined rule include keeping the package until 8:00 p.m. on weekdays, or for five hours from the delivery time, in order to reserve the time until the delivery company's planned return home as the reservation time.

[0014] Next, the delivery support system 10 searches for vehicles in a car sharing system that are available near the delivery destination based on the reserved time (step S02 in FIG. 2). For example, if the reserved time is from the current time to 8:00 PM on the day, the delivery support system 10 searches for vehicles in the nearby car sharing system that are available at that time.

[0015] Next, the delivery support system 10 reserves the vehicle of the searched car sharing system as the delivery destination and obtains door lock release information (step S03 in FIG. 2).

[0016] Finally, the delivery support system 10 notifies the terminal of the delivery company and the delivery destination of the reserved car sharing system vehicle information and door lock release information (step S04 in FIG. 2).

[0017] The delivery company that has received the vehicle information and door unlock information goes to the location of the vehicle in the car sharing system, unlocks the door of the vehicle using the door unlock information, and places the package L (see FIG. 3). Meanwhile, the resident U of the delivery destination who has received the vehicle information and door unlock information in the car sharing system goes to the location of the vehicle in the car sharing system when he or she returns home, unlocks the door using the door unlock information, and picks up the package L (see FIG. 4).

[0018] In this way, according to the present disclosure, it becomes possible for a user to leave a package in a vehicle even if the user is suddenly away from home, etc. Also, depending on the type of package, there may be cases where the package does not fit in a mailbox or delivery box, but according to the present disclosure, since the vehicle's interior space or trunk is used, it is possible to prevent redelivery due to the package not fitting.

[0019] [First Embodiment] Next, a first embodiment of the present disclosure for realizing a service similar to drop-off delivery will be described. FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating one configuration of the present disclosure. Referring to FIG. 5, a configuration is shown in which a delivery assistance system 100 and a car sharing system 200 are connected via a network. Furthermore, the delivery assistance system 100 is capable of receiving a vehicle search request for securing a vehicle to store the package from the delivery company's onboard terminal IT via the network, and transmitting information necessary for depositing the package to the onboard terminal IT. Furthermore, the delivery assistance system 100 is capable of transmitting information necessary for receiving the package to the delivery destination's user terminal UT via the network. The delivery company's onboard terminal IT may be a mobile terminal carried by a delivery person or the like of the delivery company.

[0020] Fig. 6 is a diagram showing one configuration of the delivery support system 100 of the present disclosure. Referring to Fig. 6, the delivery support system 100 includes a determination unit 101, a search unit 102, a reservation unit 103, a notification unit 104, and a delivery destination information storage unit 105.

[0021] When the determination unit 101 receives a vehicle search request specifying a delivery destination from the delivery company's in-vehicle terminal IT, it reads out the reservation time determination rule for the corresponding delivery destination from the delivery destination information storage unit 105 and determines the reservation time.

[0022] The delivery destination information storage unit 105 stores the address and contact information for each delivery destination, as well as the reservation time determination rule. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of delivery destination information stored by the delivery support system of the present disclosure. In the example of FIG. 7, in addition to the name (addressee), address, and email address of the delivery destination identified by the delivery destination ID, whether or not the user of each delivery destination has set a special "car share delivery" policy and the reservation time determination rule are stored. For example, delivery destination IDs 0001 to 0003 in FIG. 7 have a "car share delivery" policy. Therefore, a reservation time determination rule is set for delivery destination IDs 0001 to 0003. On the other hand, delivery destination ID 0004 in FIG. 7 does not have a "car share delivery" policy. In this case, car share delivery will not be used for the corresponding user.

[0023] Various rules for determining the reservation time are possible. For example, the reservation time determination rule for delivery destination ID 0001 in FIG. 7 is after 8:00 PM on weekdays and after 12:00 PM on holidays. In this case, the determination unit 101 determines the reservation time from the current time to 8:00 PM on weekdays. Furthermore, the reservation time determination rule for delivery destination ID 0002 in FIG. 7 is the time of delivery + 5 hours. In this case, the determination unit 101 determines the reservation time from the current time to 5 hours later. Furthermore, the reservation time determination rule for delivery destination ID 0003 in FIG. 7 is schedule reference. In this case, the determination unit 101 references the schedule information of the resident of delivery destination ID 0003 and sets the reservation time. This schedule information may be stored in the user terminal UT or on the cloud side.

[0024] The search unit 102 accesses the car sharing system 200 and searches for a vehicle in the vicinity of the delivery address where the package can be stored, based on the determined reservation time and the delivery address.

[0025] The reservation unit 103 selects and reserves a vehicle from the searched vehicles to store the luggage using predetermined criteria. Possible predetermined criteria include prioritizing vehicles with low fees, or vehicles and locations with fewer reservations. In particular, by selecting vehicles and locations with fewer reservations, i.e., vehicles that are less frequently used, opportunity losses in the car sharing system 200 can be reduced. The delivery destination information storage unit 105 may also be configured to set the predetermined conditions (vehicle selection conditions) for each delivery destination. Possible predetermined conditions include, for example, selecting a vehicle that is close to the delivery destination, a vehicle in an area specified by the resident of the delivery destination, or a vehicle on the route home.

[0026] The notification unit 104 receives the reservation result from the reservation unit 103. Then, the notification unit 104 notifies the in-vehicle terminal IT of the delivery company and the user terminal UT of the delivery destination of the reserved vehicle information and door lock release information for unlocking the door lock.

[0027] Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 8 is a sequence diagram showing the operation of the present disclosure. Referring to FIG. 8, first, the delivery company's in-vehicle terminal IT transmits a vehicle search request to the delivery assistance system 100 (step S001). Note that this vehicle search request may be made, for example, by pressing a designated button while logged in to a dedicated website provided by the delivery assistance system 100. The vehicle search request may be made when it is determined that the delivery destination is empty, or may be sent when "car share delivery to drop off" has been set in advance as a delivery option.

[0028] Upon receiving the vehicle search request, the delivery assistance system 100 determines the reservation time by referring to the reservation time determination rule for the delivery destination (step S002).

[0029] Next, the delivery support system 100 accesses the car sharing system 200 and inquires about available vehicles based on the determined reservation time and delivery destination address (step S003).

[0030] Next, the delivery support system 100 selects a vehicle to reserve from the available vehicles reported by the car sharing system 200 and makes the reservation (step S004). Once the reservation is complete, the car sharing system 200 sends vehicle information and door lock release information for the reserved vehicle.

[0031] The delivery support system 100 transmits the vehicle information and door lock unlock information of the reserved vehicle to the delivery company's in-vehicle terminal IT and the delivery destination's user terminal UT (step S005).

[0032] A delivery person of the delivery company who receives the vehicle information and the door lock release information moves to the location of the specified vehicle, unlocks the door using the door lock release information, and stores the package in the trunk or the passenger compartment of the vehicle.

[0033] Meanwhile, the resident (user) of the delivery destination uses the user terminal UT to receive the vehicle information and door lock release information from the delivery support system 100. This allows the resident (user) of the delivery destination to receive the package in the designated vehicle within the reserved time.

[0034] As explained above, according to this embodiment, it is possible to reduce redelivery due to reasons such as the recipient being absent or the mailbox being the wrong size. Furthermore, compared to general drop-off and delivery services, this has the advantage that the package can be stored inside the vehicle, preventing it from being stolen or getting wet in the rain. Regarding the usage fee for "Car Share Drop-Off and Delivery," the payment method and other details can be decided with the user when setting up the special contract.

[0035] In the above-described embodiment, examples of rules for determining the reservation time include holding the package until a specified time, setting the reservation time as the time of delivery plus a specified time, and setting the reservation time by referring to the schedule information of the resident of the delivery destination. However, the rules for determining the reservation time are not limited to these. For example, if statistics on the time residents of the delivery destination return home and the basic data for those statistics are available, the reservation time may be determined using those statistics. For example, if the resident of the delivery destination returns home at 9:00 p.m. on average every day, the reservation time may be set to be from the current time until after 9:00 p.m.

[0036] [Second embodiment] In the first embodiment described above, an example was given in which a special agreement for "car share delivery" was made, but a form in which a request for "car share delivery" is received directly from a resident (user) of the delivery destination can also be adopted. Below, a second embodiment in which a request for "car share delivery" is received directly from a resident (user) of the delivery destination will be described.

[0037] Fig. 9 is a diagram showing another configuration of the present disclosure. The differences from the first embodiment shown in Fig. 6 are that the determination unit 101a of the delivery support system 100a determines the reservation time based on the pickup time specified by the user terminal (delivery destination terminal) of the delivery destination, and that some of the information stored in the delivery destination information storage unit 105a can be omitted. Other configurations are the same as those in Fig. 6, so the following description will focus on the differences.

[0038] The delivery company's in-vehicle terminal IT transmits a delivery notice message to the user terminal UT of the delivery destination before the specified delivery time. In response, the resident of the delivery destination can use the user terminal UT to specify the time of return home, etc., and request delivery using a vehicle of the car sharing system 200. Upon receiving this request, the delivery company's in-vehicle terminal IT transmits a vehicle search request specifying the pickup time to the delivery support system 100a.

[0039] The determination unit 101a determines the reservation time based on the pickup time specified by the in-vehicle terminal IT. Therefore, the predetermined rule in this embodiment is to set a reservation time that covers the pickup time specified by the in-vehicle terminal IT. For example, the reservation period may be determined by adding a predetermined time to the pickup time specified by the in-vehicle terminal IT.

[0040] 10 is a diagram showing an example of delivery destination information stored in the delivery support system 100a of this embodiment. In this embodiment, there is no need to set rules for determining the reservation time in the delivery destination information storage unit 105a. This is because the resident (user) of the delivery destination specifies the pickup time, and the reservation time is determined based on that.

[0041] 11 is a sequence diagram showing the operation of the present disclosure. The difference from the first embodiment shown in FIG. 8 is that the in-vehicle terminal IT of the delivery company transmits a delivery notice message to the user terminal UT of the delivery destination before the specified delivery time (step S101). The user terminal UT of the delivery destination can then specify a pickup time and request delivery using a vehicle of the car sharing system 200 (step S102).

[0042] When a delivery company receives a request for delivery using a vehicle from the car sharing system 200, the delivery company's on-board terminal IT sends a vehicle search request specifying a pickup time to the delivery support system 100a in order to realize delivery using a vehicle from the car sharing system 200 (step S001a).

[0043] The delivery support system 100a receives the vehicle search request specifying the pickup time and determines a reservation time that covers the pickup time. The subsequent operations are the same as those in the first embodiment, and therefore will not be described here.

[0044] As described above, the present disclosure enables delivery of packages using vehicles in the car sharing system 200 without prior configuration. In the above description, the delivery company's onboard terminal IT transmits a delivery notice message to the user terminal UT at the delivery destination before the specified delivery time. However, the delivery support system 100a may transmit the delivery notice message by referring to the movement of the onboard terminal IT and the delivery schedule. It is also possible to omit the transmission of the delivery notice message. In this case, the delivery person of the delivery company transmits a vehicle search request specifying a specified time when he or she learns that the delivery destination is unattended.

[0045] [Third Embodiment] Next, a third embodiment will be described in which a function for when a resident (user) at the delivery destination does not come to pick up a package as scheduled is added to the delivery support system. Figure 12 is a diagram showing another configuration of the delivery support system of the present disclosure. The difference from the first embodiment shown in Figure 6 is that a loan vehicle arrangement unit 106 has been added to the delivery support system 100c. Since the other configurations are the same as the configuration in Figure 6, the following description will focus on the differences.

[0046] When the loaner car arrangement unit 106 receives a notification from the car sharing system 200 that the vehicle reserved by the reservation unit 103 has not been used by the reservation deadline, the loaner car arrangement unit 106 requests the car sharing system 200 to arrange for a substitute vehicle (loaner car) to replace the vehicle. Specifically, the loaner car arrangement unit 106 arranges for the loaner car to be sent to the location of the reserved car sharing system vehicle. This loaner car arrangement can be made using the vehicle delivery system on the car sharing system 200 side. Therefore, the loaner car arrangement unit 106 functions as a vehicle allocation means that allocates a loaner car for the reserved car sharing system vehicle when the luggage is not picked up from the reserved vehicle.

[0047] In addition, if the luggage is not collected from the reserved vehicle within the reserved time, an extension fee and a fee for arranging a replacement vehicle will be charged in addition to the share fee for the reserved car sharing system vehicle.However, regarding this as well, the payment method, etc. can be decided with the user when setting up the special terms, etc.

[0048] According to this embodiment, even if the luggage is not picked up from the reserved vehicle, there will be no inconvenience to car share users who have made reservations for the time period after the ``car share drop-off delivery'' service.

[0049] [Fourth embodiment] Next, a fourth embodiment will be described in which a redelivery function is realized by utilizing the automatic driving function of the vehicles of the car sharing system 200. In this embodiment, it is assumed that the vehicles of the car sharing system 200 are equipped with an automatic driving function. In this embodiment, it is possible to realize a service in which the delivery support system 100 automatically delivers goods when a resident (user) of the delivery destination returns home or the like is triggered.

[0050] Figure 13 is a diagram showing another configuration of the delivery support system of the present disclosure. The difference from the first embodiment shown in Figure 6 is that a delivery schedule unit 107 is added to the delivery support system 100d. Since the other configurations are the same as those in Figure 6, the following description will focus on the differences.

[0051] When the end of the reserved time approaches or when the delivery schedule unit 107 receives information that the resident has returned home, it requests the car sharing system 200 to move the vehicle containing the package to the delivery destination. The car sharing system 200 instructs the vehicle equipped with an automatic driving function to move to the delivery destination instructed by the delivery schedule unit 107. The resident's return home information can be received in the form of sending a form for reporting return home in advance to the user terminal UT of the delivery destination by email or the like, and receiving the return home information from the resident using that form. Furthermore, if there is a home server or the like connected to the door of the delivery destination, a configuration in which the resident's return home information is received from this device can also be adopted.

[0052] As in the first embodiment, this reservation time may be determined based on a time preset by the resident, or may be determined by referring to the resident's schedule information. Furthermore, to expedite collection if the resident returns home before the reservation time, the delivery support system 100d may accept a delivery request from the resident. In this case, upon receiving a delivery request from the user terminal UT of the delivery destination, the delivery schedule unit 107 requests the car sharing system 200 to move a vehicle containing the package to the delivery destination.

[0053] In this way, the resident (user) at the delivery destination and their family members can receive the package from the vehicle that has arrived at the delivery destination promptly after returning home, as shown in Fig. 14. Note that before the start of redelivery by autonomous driving, the vehicle may notify the user terminal UT that redelivery will be performed using a vehicle of the car sharing system 200.

[0054] As described above, according to this embodiment, redelivery can be achieved without bothering the delivery company. It is also possible that the resident will not be present when the delivery is made by the autonomous driving function. In this case, the autonomous driving vehicle may turn back. However, if the autonomous driving vehicle is equipped with a robot arm or the like, it may take measures such as storing the package in a delivery box or leaving the package at a designated location, as in a typical delivery service.

[0055] In the above explanation, it is assumed that the resident has requested delivery by an autonomous vehicle in advance, but even if the package is not picked up within the reserved time, the delivery assistance system may instruct the car sharing system 200 to deliver it by autonomous driving. In this way, it becomes possible to release the vehicle of the car sharing system 200 earlier.

[0056] Fifth Embodiment Next, a fifth embodiment will be described in which the specifications of the vehicle of the car sharing system 200 are modified. In this embodiment, the trunk (luggage compartment) and the driving key are separate, so that the vehicle can be used as a car sharing system vehicle even during the time period when luggage is stored in the vehicle.

[0057] FIG. 15 is a diagram showing an example of a vehicle V used in the present disclosure. In a more preferred embodiment, the trunk (luggage compartment) key K2 is a different key from the passenger compartment (cabin) key K1, and the vehicle V can be rented out as a car-sharing vehicle even when luggage is stored in the trunk (luggage compartment). As shown in FIG. 15 , the trunk (luggage compartment) and the passenger compartment (cabin) are physically separate and can be unlocked from the outside, which is more desirable from the perspective of preventing loss or damage to luggage. Of course, the vehicle may also be a type in which the luggage space (luggage compartment) and the passenger compartment (cabin) are not physically separate, such as a hatchback vehicle. In this case, providing a safety box or the like in the luggage space (luggage compartment) that can be unlocked with a second key can prevent loss or damage to luggage during car-sharing.

[0058] By using such vehicles, the car sharing system can provide the delivery assistance system 100 with information on vehicles for which only the trunk can be reserved. In other words, the search unit 102 of the delivery assistance system 100 searches for trunks of vehicles in the car sharing system that are available near the delivery destination based on the reservation time. The reservation unit 103 of the delivery assistance system 100 then reserves the searched trunk as the delivery destination and obtains door lock release information. Furthermore, the notification unit 104 of the delivery assistance system 100 notifies the delivery company's in-vehicle terminal IT and the delivery destination's user terminal UT of the information on the reserved trunk and door lock release information for unlocking the door.

[0059] As described above, according to this embodiment, even if the vehicle is being stored with luggage, it can be used for car sharing without any problems as long as the vehicle is returned within the reserved time.

[0060] Although the embodiments of the present disclosure have been described above, the present disclosure is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and further modifications, substitutions, and adjustments can be made without departing from the basic technical concept of the present disclosure. For example, the network configurations, element configurations, and data representation formats shown in the drawings are examples intended to aid in understanding the present disclosure, and are not limited to the configurations shown in these drawings.

[0061] For example, it is possible to combine the configurations of the second and third embodiments described above, and adopt a configuration in which a request for "car share delivery" is directly received and a replacement car is arranged in case of delay in collection.

[0062] (Hardware Configuration) In each embodiment of the present disclosure, each component of each device represents a functional unit block. Some or all of the components of each device are realized by an arbitrary combination of an information processing device 900 and a program, for example, as shown in FIG. 16 . FIG. 16 is a block diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of the information processing device 900 that realizes each component of each device. The information processing device 900 includes, as an example, the following configuration: - CPU (Central Processing Unit) 901 - ROM (Read Only Memory) 902 - RAM (Random Access Memory) 903 - Program 904 loaded into RAM 903 - Storage device 905 that stores the program 904 - Drive device 907 that reads and writes to a recording medium 906 - Communication interface 908 that connects to a communication network 909 - Input / output interface 910 that inputs and outputs data - Bus 911 that connects each component

[0063] Each component of each device in each embodiment is realized by the CPU 901 acquiring and executing a program 904 that realizes the function. That is, the CPU 901 in FIG. 16 executes a reservation time determination program and a vehicle search and reservation program, and performs processing to update each calculation parameter stored in the RAM 903, storage device 905, etc. The program 904 that realizes the function of each component of each device is stored in the storage device 905 or ROM 902 in advance, for example, and is read by the CPU 901 as needed. The program 904 may be supplied to the CPU 901 via the communication network 909, or may be stored in advance on the recording medium 906, and the drive device 907 may read the program and supply it to the CPU 901.

[0064] There are various variations in the implementation of each device. For example, each device may be implemented by any combination of a separate information processing device 900 and a program for each component. Furthermore, multiple components of each device may be implemented by any combination of a single information processing device 900 and a program. In other words, each unit (processing means, function) of the delivery support system shown in the first to fourth embodiments can be implemented by a computer program that causes a processor installed in the device to execute the above-mentioned processes using its hardware.

[0065] In addition, some or all of the components of each device may be realized by other general-purpose or dedicated circuits, processors, etc., or a combination of these. These may be configured by a single chip, or by multiple chips connected via a bus.

[0066] Some or all of the components of each device may be realized by a combination of the above-mentioned circuits and programs.

[0067] When some or all of the components of each device are realized by multiple information processing devices, circuits, etc., the multiple information processing devices, circuits, etc. may be centrally or decentralized. For example, the information processing devices, circuits, etc. may be realized as a client-server system, a cloud computing system, or the like, in a form in which each device is connected via a communication network.

[0068] It should be noted that the above-described embodiments are preferred embodiments of the present disclosure, and the scope of the present disclosure is not limited to only the above-described embodiments. In other words, those skilled in the art can modify or substitute the above-described embodiments to construct various modified forms without departing from the gist of the present disclosure.

[0069] A part or all of the above-described embodiments can be described as, but not limited to, the following supplementary notes.

[0070] [Supplementary Note 1] A delivery support system including: a determination means for determining a reservation time for a car sharing system vehicle to be reserved as a delivery destination based on a rule previously established between the delivery destination and the delivery company in response to a request from the delivery company's terminal; a search means for searching for available car sharing system vehicles near the delivery destination based on the reservation time; a reservation means for reserving the searched car sharing system vehicle as a delivery destination and obtaining door lock release information; and a notification means for notifying the delivery company's terminal and the delivery destination of the reserved car sharing system vehicle information and door lock release information. [Supplementary Note 2] The determination means of the delivery support system described above may be configured to determine the reservation time using a rule that reserves the time until the delivery destination's expected return home as the reservation time. [Supplementary Note 3] The determination means of the delivery support system described above may be configured to determine the reservation time by inquiring about the delivery destination's pick-up time. [Supplementary Note 4] The determination means of the delivery support system described above may be configured to determine the reservation time by referring to the schedule of the residents of the delivery destination or statistics on past return home times. [Supplementary Note 5] The determination means of the above-mentioned delivery support system can be configured to determine an expected time of return home based on a time specified by the delivery destination. [Supplementary Note 6] The search means of the above-mentioned delivery support system can be configured to select a car sharing system vehicle that meets pre-set conditions from the delivery destination, instead of a car sharing system vehicle near the delivery destination. [Supplementary Note 7] The search means of the above-mentioned delivery support system can be configured to select a vehicle that is used less frequently from among the vehicles of the car sharing system.[Appendix 8] The car sharing system described above may include a vehicle for which only the trunk can be reserved; the search means of the delivery assistance system may search for the trunk of a car sharing system vehicle available near the delivery destination based on the reservation time; the reservation means may reserve the trunk of the searched car sharing system vehicle as the delivery destination and obtain door lock release information; and the notification unit may notify the delivery company terminal and the delivery destination of the trunk and door lock release information of the reserved car sharing system vehicle. [Appendix 9] The delivery assistance system described above may further include a vehicle dispatch means for dispatching a replacement vehicle for the reserved car sharing system vehicle if the package is not picked up from the reserved vehicle. [Appendix 10] The car sharing system described above may be an autonomous vehicle; and the delivery assistance system may be configured to have the vehicle transport the package to the delivery destination using an autonomous driving function. [Supplementary Note 11] A delivery support method comprising: in response to a request from a terminal of a delivery company, determining a reservation time for a car sharing system vehicle to be secured as a delivery destination based on rules predetermined between the delivery company and the delivery destination; searching for a car sharing system vehicle available in the vicinity of the delivery destination based on the reservation time; reserving the searched car sharing system vehicle as the delivery destination and obtaining door lock release information; and notifying the terminal of the delivery company and the delivery destination of the information on the reserved car sharing system vehicle and the door lock release information. [Supplementary Note 12] A recording medium having recorded thereon a program that causes a computer to execute the following processes: in response to a request from a terminal of a delivery company, based on rules predetermined between the delivery company and the delivery destination;The embodiments described in the above Supplementary Notes can be combined with each other after making necessary modifications. For example, the scope of the present specification also includes a configuration that combines the contents of Supplementary Note 2 and the contents of Supplementary Note 3, and that combines a function to determine the reservation time using a rule that reserves the time until the delivery destination's expected return home as the reservation time, and a function to determine the reservation time by inquiring about the delivery destination's pick-up time. The embodiments of Supplementary Notes 11 to 12 can be expanded into the embodiments of Supplementary Notes 2 to 10, just like Supplementary Note 1.

[0071] The disclosures of the above-cited patent documents are incorporated herein by reference and may be used as the basis or part of this disclosure, as necessary. Modifications and adjustments of the embodiments and examples are possible within the scope of this disclosure (including the claims), and further based on its basic technical concept. Furthermore, various combinations and selections (including partial deletions) of various disclosed elements (including elements of each claim, each element of each embodiment or example, each element of each drawing, etc.) are possible within the scope of this disclosure. In other words, this disclosure naturally includes various modifications and alterations that would be possible by a person skilled in the art in accordance with the entire disclosure, including the claims, and the technical concept. In particular, with regard to the numerical ranges described herein, any numerical value or subrange within that range should be construed as specifically described, even if not otherwise specified. Furthermore, the disclosures of the above-cited documents, when used in part or in whole in combination with the disclosures herein as part of this disclosure, in accordance with the spirit of this disclosure, are also deemed to be included in the disclosures of this application.

[0072] 10, 100, 100a, 100b Delivery support system 11 Determination means 12 Search means 13 Reservation means 14 Notification means 101, 101a Determination unit 102 Search unit 103 Reservation unit 104 Notification unit 105, 105a Delivery destination information storage unit 106 Loan car arrangement unit 107 Delivery schedule unit 200 Car sharing system 900 Information processing device 901 CPU (Central Processing Unit) 902 ROM (Read Only Memory) 903 RAM (Random Access Memory) 904 Program 905 Storage device 906 Recording medium 907 Drive device 908 Communication interface 909 Communication network 910 Input / output interface 911 Bus IT In-vehicle terminal K1, K2 Key L Luggage U Resident UT User terminal

Claims

1. A delivery support system comprising: a determination means for determining a reservation time for a car sharing system vehicle to be secured as a delivery destination in response to a request from a delivery company terminal based on rules previously established between the delivery company and the delivery destination; a search means for searching for a car sharing system vehicle that is available in the vicinity of the delivery destination based on the reservation time; a reservation means for reserving the searched car sharing system vehicle as a delivery destination and obtaining door lock release information; and a notification means for notifying the delivery company terminal and the delivery destination of the reserved car sharing system vehicle information and door lock release information.

2. The delivery support system according to claim 1, wherein said determining means determines said reservation time using a rule that reserves the time up to the scheduled return time of said delivery destination as the reservation time.

3. A delivery support system according to claim 2, wherein said determining means determines said reservation time by inquiring about said receiving time from said delivery destination.

4. The delivery support system according to claim 2, wherein said determining means determines said reservation time by referring to the schedule of the resident of said delivery destination or statistics of past return times.

5. The delivery support system according to claim 2, wherein said determining means determines the expected time of returning home based on the time designated by the delivery destination.

6. A delivery support system according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the search means selects a car sharing system vehicle that meets pre-set conditions from the delivery destination instead of a car sharing system vehicle located near the delivery destination.

7. A delivery support system according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the search means selects a vehicle that is used less frequently from among the vehicles in the car sharing system.

8. A delivery support system according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the car sharing system includes vehicles for which only the trunk can be reserved, the search means searches for the trunk of a car sharing system vehicle available in the vicinity of the delivery destination based on the reservation time, the reservation means reserves the trunk of the searched car sharing system vehicle as the delivery destination and obtains door lock release information, and the notification unit notifies the delivery company's terminal and the delivery destination of the trunk and door lock release information of the reserved car sharing system vehicle.

9. A delivery support system according to any one of claims 1 to 8, further comprising a vehicle dispatching means for dispatching a replacement vehicle for the reserved car sharing system vehicle if the luggage is not picked up from the reserved vehicle.

10. A delivery assistance system according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the vehicle in the car sharing system is an autonomous vehicle, and the delivery assistance system causes the vehicle to transport the package to the delivery destination using an autonomous driving function.

11. A delivery support method that, in response to a request from a delivery company's terminal, determines a reservation time for a car sharing system vehicle to be secured as a delivery destination based on rules previously established between the delivery company and the delivery destination, searches for car sharing system vehicles available in the vicinity of the delivery destination based on the reservation time, reserves the searched car sharing system vehicle as a delivery destination, obtains door lock release information, and notifies the delivery company's terminal and the delivery destination of the reserved car sharing system vehicle information and door lock release information.

12. A recording medium having recorded thereon a program that causes a computer to execute the following processes: determining a reservation time for a car sharing system vehicle to be secured as a delivery destination based on rules previously established between the delivery destination and the delivery company in response to a request from the delivery company's terminal; searching for a car sharing system vehicle that is available near the delivery destination based on the reservation time; reserving the searched car sharing system vehicle as a delivery destination and obtaining door lock release information; and notifying the delivery company's terminal and the delivery destination of the reserved car sharing system vehicle information and door lock release information.

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