JP2002078599A - Locker system - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] An object of the present invention is to provide a locker system that can be used by an unspecified number of persons by dynamically changing locker key information. SOLUTION: There is an unattended locker 5 capable of dynamically changing key information, and monitoring of unattended locker availability information via a communication network, and a request for use of the unmanned locker via the communication network. And a locker management mechanism 2 for delivering key information to at least the unmanned locker and the requested one.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to a locker system that can be used by an unspecified number of people.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art At present, a society in which articles can be sold by online shopping or the like unattended, day or night, is about to be established. On the other hand, since it is impossible to give and receive a purchased article without a person, it is very difficult to receive the article in a home or the like where the user tends to be absent during the day. In other words, the delivery company has to visit many times and the recipient has to go to the post office for receipt, which is very complicated.

For this reason, a locker system called a full-time locker that cannot be opened and closed without a specific operation is used. This conventional locker system is supposed to be installed at an entrance or the like of an apartment house, and identifies a user (resident) registered in advance by a magnetic card or the like and a delivery company registered in advance. .

[0004]

In a conventional locker system called a full-time locker or the like, there is a system that makes it possible to securely confirm receipt and settle payment by strengthening user authentication. However, it is necessary to acquire authentication information for personal authentication in advance, and there is a problem that an unspecified number of persons cannot use the authentication information.

An object of the present invention is to provide a locker system that can be used by an unspecified number of persons by enabling the key information of the locker to be dynamically changed.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, a locker system according to the present invention comprises an unmanned locker capable of dynamically changing key information, and an empty information of the unmanned locker via a communication network. And a locker management mechanism for delivering key information to at least the unmanned locker and the requester when there is a use request of the unmanned locker via the communication network.

With this configuration, the key information can be dynamically changed, so that a locker system that can be shared by an unspecified number of persons can be provided.

[0008] In the present invention, the requester to use the unmanned locker via the communication network is an online shopping company that has received a purchase request for goods online, and the online shopping company has the locker management system. The key information delivered from the mechanism is notified to the purchaser of the article via a communication network, and the locker management mechanism sends the delivery information notified from the online shopping company to a delivery company together with the key information. It is characterized by doing.

[0009] With this configuration, when goods are purchased through online shopping or the like, the goods can be delivered unattended for 24 hours.

[0010] In the present invention, the unmanned locker includes:
The credit number input by the user is sent to the locker management mechanism, and the locker management mechanism sends the credit number to a credit company, and instructs the unmanned locker to open a storage according to the credit result of the credit company. It is characterized by sending.

[0011] With this configuration, since the user opens the storage unit by performing a credit settlement, a locker system having a cash on delivery function can be realized.

Also, in the present invention, the requester of the use of the unmanned locker via the communication network is a company or the like requested to return or repair by a consumer, and the company or the like is the locker management mechanism. The key information delivered from the company is notified to the consumer via a communication network.

With this configuration, a consumer who wants to return or repair can easily achieve the purpose by storing the goods in the designated unmanned locker. Also, a company or the like (in many cases, a company, but sometimes an individual) can easily collect returned or repaired products from an unspecified number of persons. That is, it is possible to realize a locker system that enables the exchange of returned or repaired products.

[0014]

FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of a locker system according to a first embodiment of the present invention. This first
The embodiment relates to a locker system that aims to deliver goods unattended for 24 hours when purchasing goods by online shopping or the like.

In FIG. 1, a network 1 comprises a public network or the Internet. The locker management system 2 is connected to a sender (online shopping company) 3, a delivery company 4, and an unmanned locker 5 via the network 1. The sender (online shopping company) 3 is connected to a receiver (consumer) 6 via the network 1.

The locker management system 2 manages the unmanned locker 5 via the network 1, monitors free information of the unmanned locker 5, and provides key information to the delivery company 4, the sender (online shopping company) 3 and the unmanned locker 5. This is a system for distributing and the like. The locker management system 2 may belong to either the sender (online shopping company) 3 or the delivery company 4, or may be another locker management company.

Sender (online shopping company) 3
Conducts online sales by making online payments with credit cards and the like. The sender (online shopping company) 3 makes a request to the locker management system 2 when the receiver (consumer) 6 desires to receive an article via the unmanned locker 5.

The delivery company 4 corresponds to a normal carrier such as a courier service. According to an instruction from the locker management system 2, the goods are received from the sender (online shopping company) 3 and delivered to the designated unmanned locker 5.

The unmanned locker 5 includes a plurality of storage sections, a keyboard for receiving key information, an infrared light receiving section, a radio receiver, and a control device for controlling these. The control device is connected to the locker management system 2 via the network 1. The unmanned locker 5 can open and store a specific storage unit with key information input from the delivery company 4 or the recipient (consumer) 6 to store and retrieve articles.

The receiver (consumer) 6 is a general consumer, and goes to the unmanned locker 5 at a predetermined place to receive an article purchased through online shopping from the unmanned locker 5.

FIG. 2 is a sequence diagram showing a processing procedure of the locker system according to the first embodiment. The processing procedure can be divided into procedures 1 to 5. Each procedure will be described.

Step 1: Purchase a product. The receiver (consumer) 6 notifies the sender (online shopping company) 3 of location information such as an address as a destination of the goods to be purchased to the sender (online shopping company) 3 (step S1).

Step 2: Select a locker. The sender (online shopping company) 3 is the recipient (consumer) 6
Is sent to the locker management system 2 to inquire about the nearest available locker (step S2). The locker management system 2 checks the availability of the unmanned lockers 5, searches for the nearest unmanned lockers 5 based on the location information, and responds to the sender (online shopping company) 3 with a list of nearest lockers (step S3).
The sender (online shopping company) 3 presents the nearest locker list to the recipient (consumer) 6 and requests a selection (step S4). The recipient (consumer) 6 designates a locker location from the list and inputs a password (step S5).

Step 3: Issue key information. The sender (online shopping company) 3 transmits the locker location and the delivery information selected by the recipient (consumer) 6 to the locker management system 2 (step S6). The locker management system 2 sets the selected locker to “in use”, generates a receiver access code and a delivery company access code, and transmits them to the unmanned locker 5 (step S7).

Step 4: Distribute the key information. The locker management system 2 transmits the generated recipient access code to the sender (online shopping company) 3 (step S8). Sender (online shopping company) 3
Transmits the received receiver access code to the receiver (consumer) 6 (step S9). Further, the locker management system 2 transmits the location information, the delivery information, and the delivery company access code to the delivery company 4 (step S1).
0).

Step 5: Deliver the goods. Delivery company 4
Based on the location information and the delivery information of the unmanned locker 5 obtained from the locker management system 2, the delivery (product) requested by the sender (online shopping company) 3 is delivered to the unmanned locker 5 (step S11). At this time, the delivery company 4 inputs the delivery company access code to the unmanned locker 5 (step S12). Unmanned locker 5
Determines the consistency between the delivery company access code from the delivery company 4 and the delivery company access code sent from the locker management system 2 in advance, and if it is determined to be appropriate,
Open the compartment. When the delivery company 4 stores the delivery (product) in the storage unit, a delivery confirmation code is issued from the unmanned locker 5 to the locker management system 2 (step S13). At the same time, the delivery confirmation code is displayed on the output device of the unmanned locker 5 (Step S14). The delivery company 4 reads the displayed delivery confirmation code and sends it to the locker management system 2 to prove that the delivery has been completed (step S15).

Step 6: Receive the goods. The recipient (consumer) 6 inputs the recipient access code delivered and delivered to the specified unmanned locker 5 (step S16).
When the unmanned locker 5 determines that the receiver access code is correct, the unmanned locker 5 opens a specific storage unit. At the same time, the unmanned locker 5 transmits a receipt confirmation code to the locker management system 2 (Step S17). Thus, the receiver (consumer) 6 receives the ordered product (step S1).
8).

As described above, in the first embodiment, the locker management system 2 controls the delivery company 4 and the receiver (consumer) 6 unattended by the locker management system 2 via the network 1 in response to a request. By issuing an electronic key called an access code to an empty storage section of the locker 5, access to the unmanned locker 5 is enabled. As a result, an unspecified number of users can safely use the unmanned locker 5, and the recipients can receive the goods at a free time.

Next, FIG. 3 is an overall configuration diagram and a sequence diagram of a processing procedure of a locker system having a credit settlement function according to a second embodiment of the present invention. The first
In the embodiment, the case where the payment is performed in online shopping is shown, but in the second embodiment,
The settlement can be performed in the form of credit settlement in the locker system, and the same function as cash on delivery service is realized.

Therefore, FIG. 3 shows a credit system (credit company) 7 for crediting a used credit card instead of the sender (online shopping company) 3 and the delivery company 4 shown in FIG. . Hereinafter, FIG.
The processing procedure of the locker system having a credit settlement function according to the second embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. The processing procedure can be divided into procedures 1 to 3. Each procedure will be described.

Step 1: Settle with credit. The recipient (consumer) 6 inputs the recipient access code delivered to the designated unmanned locker 5 and delivered (step S2).
1). The recipient (consumer) 6 inputs a credit number (step S22). The credit number is input using a numeric keypad or a magnetic stripe reader.

Procedure 2: Credit is given. The unmanned locker 5 stores the credit number in the locker management system 2
(Step S23). The locker management system 2 sends the received credit number to the credit system (credit company) 7 to request a credit (step S2).
4). When the locker management system 2 receives the credit result from the credit system (credit company) 7 (step S
25), an instruction to open a specific storage unit is sent to the unmanned locker 5 based on the result of the credit (step S26). The unmanned locker 5 opens the designated storage unit.

Step 3: Receiving the goods. The receiver (consumer) 6 can receive the ordered delivery (product) from the open storage section of the unmanned locker 5 (step S27).

Next, FIG. 4 is an overall configuration diagram and a sequence diagram of a processing procedure of a locker system having a function of sending and receiving a repaired product according to a third embodiment of the present invention. The third embodiment relates to a locker system for exchanging repaired products such as electric appliances with a maker or a service center.

Therefore, FIG. 4 shows a maker (service station) 8 that repairs electric appliances and the like, instead of the sender (online shopping company) 3 and the delivery company 4 shown in FIG. Also, in this case,
The consumer 9 becomes the requester.

Hereinafter, a processing procedure of the locker system having a function of delivering and receiving a repaired product according to the third embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. The processing procedure can be divided into procedures 1 to 6. Each procedure will be described.

Procedure 1: Request repair. The requester (consumer) 9 notifies the maker (service station) 8 of location information such as its own address (step S31).

Step 2: Select a locker. The maker (service station) 8 sends the location information of the requester (consumer) 9 to the locker management system 2 and inquires about the nearest available locker (step S32). The locker management system 2 checks the availability of the unmanned lockers 5, searches for the nearest unmanned lockers 5 based on the location information, and responds with a list of nearest lockers to the manufacturer (service station) 8 (step S33). The maker (service station) 8 presents the nearest locker list to the requester (consumer) 9 and requests selection (step S3).
4). The requester (consumer) 9 notifies the maker (service station) 8 of the locker location selected from the received list of nearest lockers (step S35).

Step 3: Key information is issued. The maker (service station) 8 transmits the locker location selected by the recipient (consumer) 6 to the locker management system 2 (step S36). The locker management system 2 sets the locker to “in use”, generates a requester access code and a maker access code, and transmits them to the unmanned locker 5 (step S37).

Step 4: Distribute the key information. The locker management system 2 transmits the generated client access code to the maker (service station) 8 (step S).
38). The maker (service station) 8 transmits the received requester access code to the requester (consumer) 9 (step S39).

Step 5: Deposit the repaired product. The requester (consumer) 9 accesses the predetermined unmanned locker 5 and inputs a requester access code (step S40), opens the storage unit, and deposits a repaired product (step S41). When confirming the storage of the repaired product, the unmanned locker 5 transmits a reception signal to the locker management system 2 (step S4).
2). The locker management system 2 that has received the receipt signal,
A maker access code is transmitted to the maker (service station) 8 (step S43).

Step 6: Receive the repaired product. The manufacturer (service station) 8 is a designated unmanned locker 5
And input the manufacturer access code delivered from the locker management system 2 (step S44). If it is determined that the code is correct, the specific storage unit is opened. Thus, the manufacturer (service station) 8
Repaired items can be collected (step S45).

As described above, in the third embodiment, it is possible to realize a locker system for the purpose of returning a purchased article and giving / receiving a repaired article. In this system, a consumer who wants to return or repair can easily achieve the purpose by storing the goods in a designated unmanned locker. Also, manufacturers and the like can easily collect returned or repaired products from an unspecified number of persons.

[0044]

As described above, according to the present invention,
Because the locker key information can be changed dynamically,
A locker system that can be safely used by an unspecified number of people can be provided.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of a locker system according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sequence diagram showing a processing procedure of the locker system according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 3 is an overall configuration diagram and a sequence diagram of a processing procedure of a locker system having a credit settlement function according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an overall configuration diagram and a sequence diagram of a processing procedure of a locker system having a function of sending and receiving a repaired product according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Network 2 Locker management system 3 Sender (online shopping company) 4 Delivery company 5 Unmanned locker 6 Recipient (consumer) 7 Credit system 8 Manufacturer (service station) 9 Requester (consumer)

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. An unattended locker capable of dynamically changing key information, and monitoring free information of the unattended locker via a communication network,
A locker management mechanism for delivering key information to at least the unmanned locker and the requested device when there is a use request of the unmanned locker via the communication network. 2. The locker system according to claim 1, wherein the request for using the unmanned locker via the communication network is an online shopping company that has received a purchase request for goods online, and the online shopping company. Notifies the key information delivered from the locker management mechanism to a purchaser of the article via a communication network, and the locker management mechanism converts the delivery information notified from the online shopping company into the key information. A locker system for sending to a delivery company together with a locker. 3. The locker system according to claim 1, wherein the unattended locker sends a credit number input by a user to the locker management mechanism, wherein the management mechanism sends the credit number to a credit company, A locker system, wherein an instruction to open a storage unit is sent to the unmanned locker according to a credit result of the credit company. 4. The locker system according to claim 1, wherein a request for use of the unmanned locker via the communication network is a company or the like requested to return or repair by a consumer. A locker system for notifying the consumer of the key information delivered from the locker management mechanism via a communication network.