JP2004046692A - Method and system for mediating inquiry - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a convenient method and system for mediating inquiries to track a cargo by using a web page operated by a carrier for accepting inquiries to track the cargo. <P>SOLUTION: The mediating system 2 receives cargo track inquiry information from a consignor's or consignee's terminal 1; obtains the URL of the carrier's web page 3 for accepting inquiries to track cargo, based on carrier information included in the cargo track inquiry information; accesses the web page 3 according to the URL obtained; transmits key information including an inquiry number; extracts cargo status information from information on a screen showing the results of inquiries to track the cargo, which is received from the web page; embeds the extracted status information into the integrated screen information; and transmits the generated screen information to the consignor's or consignee's terminal 1. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a method and a system for mediating an inquiry from a user to a business operator between a user and a business operator, for example, a mediation of a cargo tracking inquiry between a shipper or consignee and a carrier. Methods and systems for providing services.
[0002]
[Prior art]
When a shipper (also referred to as a shipper) or a consignee who has requested a carrier to dispatch a cargo wants to know the status of the cargo, the most common method is telephone inquiry. In the case of large cargo owners, they may introduce a carrier's inquiry terminal or build their own EDI (Electronic Data Exchange) system, but in the case of small cargo owners and consignees, such equipment Is difficult to introduce.
[0003]
In recent years, along with the spread of the Internet, some transport companies have launched their own web pages (home pages) on servers, mainly by major transport companies, and have published their own freight tracking inquiry web pages. In such a case, the shipper or consignee accesses the carrier's cargo tracking inquiry web page using a terminal device such as a personal computer, and enters the designated inquiry number to know the transportation status of the cargo. be able to. For example, it may be known that the cargo has arrived at the consignee's nearest carrier branch. Alternatively, it is possible to know that the cargo has already been loaded on a delivery vehicle and departed from a branch.
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
When a shipper or a consignee makes an inquiry to a carrier by telephone about the status of cargo transportation, it is often difficult to make a telephone call. In addition, the shipper or consignee needs to make a telephone call after accurately grasping (for example, taking notes) a different inquiry number for each carrier.
[0005]
When a shipper or a consignee introduces an inquiry terminal of a carrier, it is necessary to install a plurality of inquiry terminals different for each carrier, and it is often difficult to secure an installation location. In addition, since the screen interface is different for each inquiry terminal, the user needs to learn each operation method.
[0006]
If the shipper or consignee builds their own EDI system, there is a possibility that the coordination with the carrier will not be successful and the response will be delayed or impossible. When such a failure occurs, it is difficult to construct a system.
[0007]
In addition, in the case of a carrier that has published a cargo tracking reference web page, the shipper or consignee can obtain the tracking reference result by accessing the cargo tracking reference web page and entering the inquiry number. However, also in this case, since the screen interface is different for each carrier, the user needs to be accustomed to each operation method. In addition, since the inquiry number (number of digits and numbering method) is different for each carrier, in the case of a shipper or consignee who uses multiple carriers, it is not easy to use. I can not say.
[0008]
The present invention has been made in view of the above-described conventional problems, and performs an inquiry (cargo business) and a user (cargo business) that publish an inquiry (freight tracking inquiry) web page. It is an object of the present invention to provide a method and a system for intermediating an easy-to-use inquiry (cargo tracking inquiry) while standing with a shipper or a consignee.
[0009]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The inquiry mediation method according to the present invention establishes a web page accessible by a user (for example, a shipper or a consignee) on a network, and makes an inquiry (for example, a cargo tracking inquiry) to a browser of a terminal device of the user who has accessed the web page. ), And receives the inquiry information including the business operator (for example, a transportation business operator) information and the inquiry number input from the browser of the terminal device by the user, and obtains the information based on the business operator information. Accessing the business operator's inquiry web page (for example, a freight tracking inquiry web page) according to the URL, transmitting the inquiry number to the business operator's inquiry web page, and receiving the inquiry number from the business operator's inquiry web page Status information (of cargo) extracted from the inquiry result screen information that differs for each Embedding the status information in the information of the unified inquiry result (freight tracking result) display screen and transmitting the created inquiry result display screen information (freight tracking result display screen information) to the browser of the terminal device of the user. It is characterized by.
[0010]
According to such an inquiry mediation method, for example, a shipper or a consignee can input inquiry information on a unified (common) display screen instead of a screen different for each carrier, and can see a cargo tracking result. As a result, the usability of the cargo tracking inquiry service is improved.
[0011]
In addition, the inquiry mediation system according to the present invention provides a terminal device operated by a user, an inquiry web page opened by a plurality of operators on a network, and inquiry information received from the terminal device via the network. An inquiry intermediary system including an intermediary device that acquires status information from the business operator's inquiry web page and transmits the status information to the terminal device as unified screen display information, wherein the terminal device includes (for example, shipping information of a shipper). An inquiry number acquiring unit for acquiring an inquiry number, an inquiry information transmitting unit for transmitting business information and inquiry information including the inquiry number to the mediation device, and an inquiry for receiving inquiry result display screen information from the mediation device Inquiry result display that displays the screen according to the result receiving unit and the received inquiry result display screen information The intermediary device has an inquiry information receiving unit that receives the inquiry information, and a URL acquisition unit that acquires the URL of the business inquiry web page based on the enterprise information included in the inquiry information. A key information transmitting unit for accessing the inquiry web page of the business operator based on the acquired URL and transmitting key information including the inquiry number; and a query result screen information received from the business inquiry web page. A query result analysis unit for extracting status information from the query information display unit, a query result generation unit for embedding the extracted status information in information on a unified query result display screen, and generating query result display screen information, and the query result display screen information And an inquiry result transmitting unit for transmitting the information.
[0012]
According to such an inquiry mediation system, for example, a shipper or a consignee can input cargo tracking inquiry information on a unified common display screen instead of a screen different for each carrier and can view the cargo tracking result. . Furthermore, since the inquiry number acquisition unit of the terminal device acquires the inquiry number from the shipping information of the shipper, even if the shipper only knows the shipping number, the inquiry number is automatically obtained from the input shipping number, Appropriate cargo tracking inquiry information is sent to the intermediary device.
[0013]
Further, the mediation device according to the present invention acquires status information from an inquiry web page of a business operator in response to inquiry information received from a terminal device operated by a user via a network, and acquires the terminal information as unified screen display information. An intermediary device that transmits to a device, an inquiry information receiving unit that receives inquiry information including business information and an inquiry number, and a URL acquisition that obtains a URL of a business inquiry web page based on the business information. And a key information transmitting unit for accessing the inquiry web page of the business operator based on the acquired URL and transmitting key information including the inquiry number, and a query result received from the business inquiry web page. A query result analysis unit that extracts status information from screen information, and a unified query Embedded in the information of the display screen, a query result generation unit that generates query result display screen information, and a query result transmission unit that transmits the query result display screen information By using this, it is possible to provide an easy-to-use freight tracking inquiry service between the shipper or consignee and the carrier. Also for the transport business operator, there is an advantage that the business corresponding to the cargo tracking inquiry from the shipper or the consignee can be entrusted to a freight tracking inquiry service provider to improve the management efficiency.
[0014]
The intermediary device as described above can be realized by installing and executing a dedicated program on a computer system such as a personal computer or a server.
[0015]
That is, the computer program according to the present invention acquires the status information from the inquiry web page of the business operator in response to the inquiry information received from the terminal device operated by the user via the network, and acquires the status information as unified screen display information. A computer program executed by a computer constituting an intermediary device to be transmitted to a terminal device, comprising the steps of: receiving inquiry information including business information and an inquiry number; and a web page for inquiring the business based on the business information. Obtaining the URL of, accessing the inquiry web page of the business entity based on the acquired URL, transmitting key information including the inquiry number, and receiving from the business inquiry web page. Step for extracting status information from query result screen information Embedded in the information of the unified query result display screen with the extracted status information to generate query result display screen information, and transmitting the query result display screen information. Such a computer program can be supplied in a state recorded on a computer-readable storage medium such as a CD-ROM, and can be installed in a computer from the storage medium.
[0016]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a cargo tracking mediation system according to an embodiment of the present invention. This cargo tracking mediation system (inquiry mediation system) includes a terminal device 1 operated by a user, a shipper or a consignee, a cargo tracking inquiry web page 3 opened on a network 4 by a plurality of carriers, and a terminal According to the cargo tracking inquiry information received from the device 1 via the network 4, the status information of the cargo is acquired from the cargo tracking inquiry web page 3 of the carrier and transmitted to the terminal device 1 as unified screen display information. An intermediary device 2 is provided.
[0017]
The terminal device 1 of the shipper or the consignee acquires the inquiry number from the shipper's shipping information database 5 and transmits the freight tracking inquiry information including the carrier information and the inquiry number to the intermediary device 2. The shipping information database 5 is stored in the terminal device 1 of the shipper, for example, as a correspondence table between the shipping number and the inquiry number.
[0018]
The intermediary device 2 refers to the URL information database 6 and acquires the URL of the freight tracking inquiry web page of the transport company based on the transport company information included in the freight tracking inquiry information received from the terminal device 1. Then, based on the acquired URL, the user accesses the freight tracking inquiry web page 3 of the carrier and transmits key information including the inquiry number.
[0019]
When the freight tracking inquiry result screen information is returned to the intermediary device 2 from the freight tracking inquiry web page 3 of the transport company, the intermediary device 2 extracts the status information of the cargo by referring to the web pattern information database 7 and extracts it. Embed the information on the unified cargo tracking result display screen. The thus generated cargo tracking result display screen information is transmitted to the browser of the terminal device 1 of the shipper or consignee. The web pattern information database 7 individually stores pattern information (HTML description pattern) of a freight tracking inquiry result screen that differs for each (the freight tracking inquiry web page 3 of the transportation company).
[0020]
FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a functional configuration of the terminal device 1 and the mediation device 2 of the shipper or consignee. The terminal device 1 includes an inquiry number acquiring unit 11 that acquires an inquiry number from the shipper's shipping information database 5 and a freight tracking inquiry information transmitting unit that transmits freight tracking inquiry information including the carrier information and the inquiry number to the intermediary device 2. 12, a cargo tracking result receiving unit 13 that receives the cargo tracking result display screen information from the intermediary device 2, and a cargo tracking result display unit 14 that performs screen display according to the received cargo tracking inquiry result display screen information. .
[0021]
The terminal device 1 has, for example, a network connection function and can be configured using a personal computer in which a browser (web page browser) that is a web page browsing program is installed. The inquiry number acquisition unit 11, the cargo tracking inquiry information transmitting unit 12, the cargo tracking result receiving unit 13, and the cargo tracking result display unit 14 are configured by the function, communication device, and display device provided in the browser. In the case of a shipper, the shipping information database 5 can be included in the terminal device 1. In the case of the consignee, the inquiry number acquiring unit 11 acquires the inquiry number from the shipper's shipping information database 5 via a network or the like.
[0022]
The intermediary device 2 refers to the URL information database 6 based on the freight tracking reference information receiving unit 21 that receives the freight tracking reference information and the carrier information included in the freight tracking reference information, and performs the freight tracking reference of the transport business. Information obtaining unit 22 for obtaining the URL of the web page 3 for access, and the key information transmitting unit 23 for accessing the web page 3 for inquiring the freight tracking of the carrier based on the obtained URL and transmitting key information including the inquiry number. A cargo tracking query result analysis unit 24 that refers to the web pattern information database 7 based on the cargo tracking query result screen information received from the freight tracking query web page 3 of the carrier and extracts status information of the cargo; Cargo that embeds the extracted status information in the information on the unified cargo tracking result display screen and generates cargo tracking result display screen information A trace result generation unit 25, and a package tracking result transmitting unit 26 for transmitting the package tracking result display screen information.
[0023]
The mediation device 2 can be configured by installing a dedicated program on a personal computer having a network connection function, for example. Some of the functions of each unit executed by the dedicated program can be realized by a browser that is a program for browsing web pages. In the configuration shown in FIG. 2, the URL information database 6 and the web pattern information database 7 are included in the mediation device 2, but the URL information database 6 and the web pattern information database 7 are independent from the mediation device 2 as shown in FIG. It may be provided.
[0024]
FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a general hardware configuration of the mediation device 2. The mediation device 2 is configured by installing a dedicated program in a computer system such as a personal computer or a server. The dedicated program is supplied in a state recorded on a storage medium 31 such as a CD-ROM (optical disk), and is installed in an auxiliary storage device (HDD) 33 of the computer main body 30 via a reading device 38.
[0025]
The dedicated program installed in the auxiliary storage device 33 is loaded into the main memory 32 and executed by the processing device 34. The computer main body 30 includes an input processing unit 35a, a display processing unit 36a, and a communication unit 37 in addition to the main memory 32, the auxiliary storage device 33, and the processing device 34. An input device 35 such as a keyboard and a mouse is connected to the input processing unit 35a, and a display device 36 such as a CRT (cathode ray tube) and an LCD (liquid crystal display device) is connected to the display processing unit 36a. The communication unit 37 is connected to the network (Internet) 4.
[0026]
In the configuration in which the URL information database 6 and the web pattern information database 7 shown in FIG. 2 are included in the mediation device 2, these databases are stored in the auxiliary storage device 33. However, in the configuration shown in FIG. 1, the URL information database 6 and the web pattern information database 7 are stored in a storage device independent of the mediation device 2.
[0027]
FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the processes executed by the terminal device 1 and the mediation device 2 collectively. However, in this flowchart, when the shipper makes a cargo tracking inquiry, a part of the detailed processing of each unit described above is simplified.
[0028]
In step # 101, the shipper uses the terminal device 1 to input a unique shipping number from a predetermined screen. In the following step # 102, the terminal device 1 searches the shipping information database 5 and acquires the carrier code and the inquiry number. In the next step # 103, the terminal device 1 transmits the transport company code and the inquiry number (freight tracking inquiry information) to the mediation device 2.
[0029]
The intermediary device 2 that has received the carrier code and the inquiry number transmitted from the terminal device 1 accesses the cargo tracking inquiry web page 3 of the carrier and transmits the inquiry number (step # 104). In the next step # 105, the intermediary device 2 receives the tracking inquiry result information (cargo tracking inquiry result screen information) returned from the cargo tracking inquiry web page 3, and extracts the status information by referring to the web pattern information database 7. I do.
[0030]
In the next step # 106, the intermediary device 2 embeds the extracted status information in the unified result display screen information and transmits it to the terminal device 1 as cargo tracking result display screen information.
[0031]
In the following step # 107, the terminal device 1 displays a screen according to the received cargo tracking result (freight tracking result display screen information). In this way, the shipper can see the cargo tracking results on a unified (common) display screen instead of a screen different for each carrier. In the case of the consignee, the cargo tracking result can be viewed in the same manner, except that the carrier code and the information or the inquiry number are obtained not from the shipping information but from the shipper. Of course, the consignee may acquire the shipping information in advance from the shipper and make a cargo tracking inquiry according to the flowchart of FIG.
[0032]
FIG. 5 is a chart showing a configuration example of each database. (A) The shipping information database includes items such as a shipping number, an invoice number, and a carrier code. Thereby, the invoice number and the carrier code can be searched from the shipping number.
[0033]
Further, (b) the URL information database includes, as items, a transport company code and a URL of a web page for cargo tracking reference established by the transport company. (C) The web pattern information database includes a carrier code, an information code that is a code for identifying information to be acquired (status and the like), and an information key pattern that is information for identifying a pattern of information acquisition for each carrier. Is included as an item.
[0034]
As described above, the embodiments of the present invention have been described together with the modified examples. However, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and can be implemented in various forms. The illustrated functional configurations, flowcharts, and database configurations are merely examples.
[0035]
Further, in the above embodiment, the mediation method and system of the tracking inquiry of the cargo have been described. However, the inquiry mediating method and system of the present invention is not limited to the inquiry of the tracking of the cargo, but may be another inquiry business such as an inquiry of the stock of goods. Can also be widely applied.
[0036]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the inquiry mediation method and system of the present invention, a user can input inquiry information on a unified common display screen instead of a screen different for each business operator and can see the inquiry result. . As a result, usability of an inquiry service such as a cargo tracking inquiry service is improved.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a cargo tracking mediation system according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a functional configuration of a terminal device and an intermediary device of a shipper or a consignee.
FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a general hardware configuration of the mediation device.
FIG. 4 is a flowchart collectively showing processing executed by the terminal device and the mediation device.
FIG. 5 is a table showing a configuration example of each database.
[Explanation of symbols]
1 Terminal device 2 Intermediary device 3 Cargo tracking inquiry web page of carrier (Web page for carrier inquiry)
4 Network 5 Shipping Information Database 6 URL Information Database 7 Web Pattern Information Database 11 Inquiry Number Acquisition Unit 12 Cargo Tracking Inquiry Information Transmission Unit (Inquiry Information Transmission Unit)
13 Cargo tracking result receiving unit (inquiry result receiving unit)
14 Cargo tracking result display part (inquiry result display part)
21 Cargo tracking inquiry information receiving unit (Inquiry information receiving unit)
22 URL acquisition unit 23 Key information transmission unit 24 Cargo tracking inquiry result analysis unit (query result analysis unit)
25 Cargo tracking result generator (inquiry result generator)
26 Cargo Tracking Result Transmitter (Inquiry Result Transmitter)
31 Recording medium

Claims (5)

A web page accessible to the user is opened on the network, input screen data for an inquiry is transmitted to the browser of the terminal device of the user who accessed the web page, and the user inputs the data from the browser of the terminal device. Receiving inquiry information including business information and an inquiry number, accessing the business inquiry web page according to the URL acquired based on the business information, and setting the inquiry number to the business inquiry web page. The status information is extracted from the query result screen information different for each business operator received from the business inquiry web page, the status information is embedded in the information of the unified query result display screen, and the Sending the query result display screen information to the browser of the user terminal device; Contact-mediated wherein the. A terminal device operated by the user, a web page for inquiry opened by a plurality of operators on the network, and a status from the inquiry web page of the operator according to the inquiry information received from the terminal device via the network. An inquiry intermediary system comprising an intermediary device that acquires information and transmits the information to the terminal device as unified screen display information,
The terminal device, an inquiry number acquisition unit that acquires an inquiry number, an inquiry information transmission unit that transmits business information and inquiry information including the inquiry number to the mediation device, and an inquiry result display screen information from the mediation device. A query result receiving unit that receives, and a query result display unit that performs screen display according to the received query result display screen information,
The intermediary device, an inquiry information receiving unit that receives the inquiry information, a URL acquisition unit that acquires the URL of the business inquiry web page based on the business information included in the inquiry information, A key information transmitting unit for accessing the inquiry web page of the business operator based on the inquiry information and transmitting key information including the inquiry number, and extracting status information from the inquiry result screen information received from the business inquiry web page. A query result analyzing unit, a query result generating unit that embeds the extracted status information in information of a unified query result display screen, and generates query result display screen information, and a query result that transmits the query result display screen information An inquiry mediation system comprising a transmission unit. An intermediary device that obtains status information from an inquiry web page of a business operator in response to inquiry information received via a network from a terminal device operated by a user, and transmits the status information as unified screen display information to the terminal device. ,
An inquiry information receiving unit that receives inquiry information including business information and an inquiry number; a URL obtaining unit that obtains a URL of an inquiry web page of the business based on the business information; A key information transmission unit that accesses an inquiry web page of an article trader and transmits key information including the inquiry number; and an inquiry result that extracts status information from inquiry result screen information received from the inquiry web page of the business operator. An analysis unit, a query result generation unit that embeds the extracted status information in the information of the unified query result display screen and generates query result display screen information, and a query result transmission unit that transmits the query result display screen information An intermediary device comprising: An intermediary device that acquires the status information from the business operator's inquiry web page according to the inquiry information received from the terminal device operated by the user via the network, and transmits the status information to the terminal device as unified screen display information A computer program to be executed by a computer that performs
Receiving inquiry information including business operator information and an inquiry number;
Obtaining a URL of a business inquiry web page based on the business information;
Accessing the inquiry web page of the business entity based on the obtained URL and transmitting key information including the inquiry number;
Extracting status information from the inquiry result screen information received from the business operator's inquiry web page,
Embedding the extracted status information in the information of the unified query result display screen, and generating query result display screen information;
Transmitting the inquiry result display screen information. An intermediary device that acquires the status information from the business operator's inquiry web page according to the inquiry information received from the terminal device operated by the user via the network, and transmits the status information to the terminal device as unified screen display information A computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program to be executed by a computer, wherein the computer program receives inquiry information including business information and an inquiry number,
Obtaining a URL of a business inquiry web page based on the business information;
Accessing the inquiry web page of the business entity based on the obtained URL and transmitting key information including the inquiry number;
Extracting status information from the inquiry result screen information received from the business operator's inquiry web page,
Embedding the extracted status information in the information of the unified query result display screen, and generating query result display screen information;
Transmitting the inquiry result display screen information.

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