JP2017004478A - Rental system and rental method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent a loss in a case when the same product at a rental start is not returned at a rental end.SOLUTION: Rental is started by having a lock management device 13 unlock a lock lever 22 of a lock of a return rack 2 for a bicycle when a charging process is carried out by having a charging processor 10 add a compensation amount to a rental fee of the bicycle and having a refund process carried out for the compensation amount when a return confirmation is carried out by a prescribed time by confirming the existence of the return of the bicycle by a return manager 14. Furthermore, rental is started by having the charge processor 30 carry out the charging process for the rental fee amount of the bicycle as well as having a lock manager 33 unlock the a rear wheel lock 4 of the bicycle itself and when return confirmation of the return of the bicycle is not carried out by a return manager 34 by a prescribed time carrying out a charging process for the preset compensation amount.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to a rental product rental system and a rental method, and more particularly to a rental system and a rental method in which it is possible to mechanically easily deposit or refund compensation when renting a high-priced product.

  Rental products such as TVs, clothing, furniture, vehicles, etc. can be moved at relatively high prices, and some items are easy to convert.Vehicles include vehicles such as automobiles, motorcycles, bicycles, etc. For the sake of clarity, the present invention will be described below with an electrically assisted bicycle. Therefore, the storage device for rental products is a parking facility for an electrically assisted bicycle. The parking facility includes a parking space that is leveled and surrounded by a line such as a white line as proposed in paragraph 0020 of JP-A-2003-232152.

  2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, motorcycle rental services (also referred to as bicycle rental) such as bicycles and electrically assisted bicycles have come to be used in sightseeing spots. Similarly, rental services for four-wheeled vehicles such as electric vehicles are also provided. Also, to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, commuting by bicycle or walking or going to school is recommended, and an increasing number of people receive vehicle rental services.

JP-A-2005-330770 (described later) JP 2003-232152 (supra) Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-077060 (described later) JP 2002-227448 (described later) JP 2001-188998 (described later)

  The problem with the bicycle rental service is that even if it is said that the user's accurate identity has been confirmed, or that the rental bicycle has been returned to the parking lot and locked (locked), the rental has been confirmed. One of the reasons is that there is no means for unattended confirmation of whether the same rental bicycle has been returned or replaced with another bicycle. There is almost no such problem if a manager is resident, but it is difficult to do without an attendant.

  Even if an old one or a broken one is returned to the parking lot, it cannot be confirmed on the spot. Moreover, even if an electric bicycle is rented out and an ordinary bicycle that is not an electric bicycle is returned to the parking lot, it cannot be confirmed on the spot. Even if you know the identity of the user who used the parking lot, unless you point out that there is a problem on the spot at the time of return, you will not be able to pursue or restore it later . Expensive power-assisted bicycles are extremely expensive.

  In the present invention, it is desirable to solve the above-described problems and prevent damage in the case where the same bicycle as the bicycle at the start of rental is not returned at the end of use of the bicycle.

  Prior to solving the above problems, the inventor has paid attention to the invention of the card key disclosed in JP-A-2005-330770. In this second embodiment, the IC card 2 and the IC card 2 are provided inside the plastic card 1 as a device that can perform identity verification and electronic payment, and can be used for bicycle unlocking and rental bicycles. The antenna 20 connected to this, the IC chip 4 and the antenna 40 connected thereto, that is, one incorporating two types of control devices is proposed, and one identity verification and electronic payment with different services are provided. It can be used for the purpose of performing two types of identity verification with one card key for security enhancement. Paying attention to the above-mentioned electronic payment, payment by credit card is popular for electronic payment, but if you introduce payment by credit card to the rental cycle, It came to the idea that it would be possible to prevent damage if the same item was not returned.

  That is, the above-mentioned problems are a return management device for confirming the return of a rental product, a lock management device that controls locking and unlocking of a lock of the rental product itself or a lock of a rental product storage device, and rental product rental. A billing processing device for billing the billing device, the billing processing device adds a compensation amount to the rental fee of the rental product and performs billing processing, and the lock management device stores the lock of the rental product itself. Alternatively, when the rental product storage device unlocks the lock and starts rental, the return management device confirms whether the rental product has been returned, and the return confirmation is made by a predetermined time Is achieved by performing a refund process for the compensation money.

  The feature of the present invention is that it is possible to obtain both the rental fee and the compensation fee at the time of the billing process, and return the compensation fee when it is confirmed that the rental product has been returned. It is a point that is automated. If both of the above charges are obtained at the time of lending, the lock of the rental product itself or the lock of the rental product storage device is unlocked. In order to confirm the return until the predetermined time, for example, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-077060, a signal line and a signal line connection unit that can be connected to a rental device are used. When the rental device is connected, the identification code is read from the storage unit of the rental device so that it is possible to determine the end of rental of the rental device according to the identification code, or as disclosed in JP-A-2002-227448, a parking device or a parking lot An identifier provided on the vehicle by the mouth or an identifier emitted from a transmitter provided on the vehicle is detected by a reader and verified by a verification device to confirm that the vehicle is a registered vehicle, or Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-188998. As shown in the figure, a signal transmission device is installed in the vehicle to have the vehicle position locating device specify its own position. Comprising a stem, it may be may be provided a signal transmitter for notifying the location information of itself to the administrator in the vehicle. In any case, it is only necessary to be able to confirm the return of rental products. Or, if the parking lots in each place are managed by the center, a surveillance camera is installed in the parking lot, and the staff in the center monitors the video of this camera and confirms the return of rental products. It is also within the scope of the present invention to include the operation of an attendant in part.

  In addition, the above-mentioned problems include a return management device that performs return confirmation of rental products, a lock management device that controls locking and unlocking of locks of rental products themselves or locks of rental product storage devices, and rental product rentals. A billing processing device for billing, the billing processing device performs billing processing for the rental fee, and the lock management device has a lock of the rental product itself or a lock of the rental product storage device. The lock is released and rental is started, and if the return management device confirms whether or not the product has been returned and if the return confirmation is not made by a predetermined time, the billing process for the compensation amount set in advance is performed. To achieve this.

  As described above, the features of the inventions of claim 1 and claim 5 are that both the rental fee and the compensation fee are obtained during the charging process, and the rental product is returned. If the confirmation can be made, it is automated to return the compensation amount. On the other hand, the invention of claim 2 and claim 6 is characterized by the rental fee amount in the billing process. It is in the point that it is automated to obtain the compensation amount additionally if it is not confirmed that the rental product has been returned. For the return confirmation up to the predetermined time, a method as described in the inventions of claims 1 and 5 can be arbitrarily adopted.

  In this way, according to the present invention, it is possible to prevent damage in the case where the same bicycle as the bicycle at the start of rental is not returned at the end of use of the bicycle. Such an effect can be obtained even when the rental product is intended for a TV, clothing, furniture, etc. that are relatively expensive and can be moved and are easily converted into cash.

  By the way, the billing processing device may perform billing processing using a credit card. By partnering with a credit card company, you can get both the rental fee and the compensation fee at the start of rental, and if you can confirm that the rental product has been returned later, you can return the compensation fee It is. It is also possible to obtain a rental fee at the start of rental and to obtain additional compensation money if it is not possible to confirm that the rental product has been returned within the prescribed time. . The credit card is convenient for the billing process of the present invention in that many users use it today.

  According to the method of automatically depositing or returning the compensation money of the present invention and obtaining the compensation money later, in the rental of a relatively expensive rental product, for example, the rental of an electric assist bicycle, the product is not damaged. We were able to achieve the intended purpose with the effect of being able to carry out the rental business with peace of mind.

  It is explanatory drawing of the bicycle rental system of Example 1. FIG.   It is explanatory drawing of the bicycle parking rack 2 and the lock management apparatus 13. FIG.   It is explanatory drawing of the process at the time of a rental start.   It is explanatory drawing of the process at the time of completion | finish of a rental.   It is explanatory drawing of the rental system of the vehicle of Example 2. FIG.   It is explanatory drawing of the rear wheel lock 4 and the lock management apparatus 33. FIG.   It is explanatory drawing of the process at the time of a rental start.   It is explanatory drawing of the process at the time of completion | finish of a rental.

  In the following, two embodiments of the present invention will be described by taking an example of a motor-assisted bicycle rental service, but the present invention is not limited to these embodiments.

  This embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. The rental system of this embodiment comprises a fee settlement machine 1 installed in a bicycle parking lot and connected to a payment server of a card company and a bicycle return rack 2. In this embodiment, the bicycle storage device is the return rack 2 as a parking facility. The fee settlement machine 1 includes a billing processing device 10 and various devices under this management. That is, for communicating with the card reader 11 for reading the user's credit card C and the payment server S of the card company through a dedicated line, and for communicating wirelessly with an identification code transmitter (not shown) for bicycle identification attached to the bicycle. The communication device 12, the lock management device 13 for performing a process of opening the lock bar 22 of the return rack 2 when the bicycle is rented and making the bicycle unloadable, and the rented bicycle are correctly returned to the return rack 2. And a return management device 14 for checking whether or not there is. The locking device 21 of the return rack 2 is electrically connected to the lock management device 13 of the fee settlement machine 1. The locking device 21 is provided with an antenna 23 described later. The fee settlement machine 1 is configured to manage a plurality of such return racks 2 together.

  A rental process performed from borrowing a bicycle using the rental system of this embodiment to returning it to the user will be described below. The billing apparatus 10 reads the user's credit card C with the card reader 11. Since the user's name and contact information are registered in advance in the billing processing apparatus 10 together with a user-specific identification code, when the credit card C is read by the card reader 11, the user is first registered. Confirm that this is the case and continue the subsequent processing. However, if the user is not a registered user, the billing processing apparatus 10 leads to a user registration service.

  After confirming that the user is a registered user, the billing processing device 10 communicates with the payment server S of the card company via the communication device 12 and charges the power-assisted bicycle compensation fee together with the charge for the power-assisted bicycle. To do. At this time, the user is notified to confirm that he / she will receive compensation before charging, and that if the money is returned correctly, only the compensation will be refunded. Subsequently, when the billing apparatus 10 has finished billing the “use fee and compensation”, the lock bar that captures the front wheel of the bicycle of the locking device 21 of the parking rack 2 via the lock management device 13. 22 is opened.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the billing processing device 10 performs billing processing of the usage fee, that is, the rental fee plus the compensation amount (step S1), and the lock management device 13 opens the lock bar 22, that is, the return rack. 2 is unlocked (step S2). This initiates a bicycle rental service.

  Now, when the user finishes the use and returns the bicycle to the return rack 2, a storage sensor (not shown) detects this, and the return management device 14 wirelessly attaches to the bicycle via the communication device 12 and its antenna 23. When it is confirmed that the rental bicycle has been returned by communicating with an identification code transmitter (not shown) for identification, the front wheel is captured through the lock bar 22 between the spokes of the front wheel of the bicycle. Then, the billing processing device 10 communicates with the payment server S of the card company via the communication device 12 to allow the user to refund the compensation fee of the electrically assisted bicycle.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the return management device 14 confirms the return of the rental bicycle (step S3), the lock management device 13 passes the lock bar 22 through the front wheel and captures the front wheel, and the billing processing device 10 performs settlement. Communication with the server S is performed to refund the compensation money to the user (step S4). This ends the bicycle rental service. Such a refund process is realized in cooperation with a credit card company. Also, if you intend to return the bike correctly but do not meet the set return time, you can respond by calling the rental service company.

  This embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. The rental system of this embodiment is provided in a rental service company and is connected to a payment server of a card company, and a bicycle rear wheel so that the rental system can lend and return even in a place without a parking lot. And a lock 4. In this embodiment, the concept of “anywhere parking” proposed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-232152 is adopted in order to increase the spread of rental bicycles and the convenience of users. According to this, it is possible to make a parking lot such as a place surrounded by a rope or a fence, a place where a line is drawn on the street, etc., not to mention a conventional parking lot and a bicycle parking lot. Yes, it can be used as a parking lot literally anywhere on the square or on the street.

  The fee settlement machine 3 is configured to be able to cooperate with the rear wheel lock 4 attached to the rear wheel of the bicycle. The rear wheel lock 4 has a communication device 42 for wirelessly communicating with the lock management device 32 via the communication device 31 of the fee settlement machine 3, and the lock bar 45 of the rear wheel lock 4 is opened when the bicycle is rented. It consists of a lock control device 40 for performing a process of making it available (freeing the delivery) and a card reader 41 for reading the user's credit card C. The fee settlement machine 3 includes a billing processing device 30 and various devices under this control. That is, it comprises a lock management device 32 that cooperates with the lock control device 40 and a return management device 33 for checking whether or not the rented bicycle is correctly returned (whether the rear wheel lock 4 is locked). .

  Although not shown, the credit card C used in this embodiment incorporates an IC chip for mounting a processing unit and an antenna connected thereto in a substantially rectangular plastic card. When the credit card C is held over the holding part 43 of the rear wheel lock 4, the processing unit operates by generating electricity in the antenna, and communicates with the card reader 41 of the rear wheel lock 4 via the antenna. Is transmitted to the accounting processor 30 of the fee settlement machine 3 via the communication device 42. Since the user's name and contact information are registered in advance in the billing apparatus 30 together with an identification code unique to the user, when the credit card C is read by the card reader 41, the registered user is first registered. After confirming that, the subsequent processing is continued.

  After confirming that the user is a registered user, the billing processing device 30 communicates with the rear wheel lock 4 via the communication device 31 and mediates communication between the card reader 41 and the payment company S of the card company. The payment server S is charged for the bicycle usage fee. In this case, if the user does not return it correctly, a notice is made to confirm that compensation (damage) will be charged. Subsequently, the billing processing device 30 communicates with the lock control device 40 of the rear wheel lock 4 via the lock management device 32, and opens the lock bar 45 capturing the rear wheel of the bicycle.

  As shown in FIG. 7, the charging processing device 30 performs processing for charging the usage fee, that is, the rental fee (step S5), and the lock management device 32 opens the lock bar 45 to the lock control device 40 of the rear wheel lock 4. That is, the rear wheel lock 4 of the rental bicycle itself is unlocked (step S6). This initiates a bicycle rental service.

  Next, when the user finishes the use and wants to return the bicycle, that is, to terminate the rental service he / she receives, the user operates the knob 44 of the rear wheel lock 4 to slide the lock bar 45 and lock it. When the credit card C is held over the holding part 43 of the rear wheel lock 4, a user-specific identification code is transmitted from the card reader 41 to the return management device 33 of the fee settlement machine 3 via the communication device 42, and is a registered user. It is confirmed that the lock bar 45 is in a locked state, that is, that the bicycle at the time of rental has been returned. Accordingly, the billing processing apparatus 30 determines that the bicycle has been returned correctly. On the other hand, if it is determined that the rented bicycle is not correctly returned, the billing processing device 30 communicates with the payment server S of the card company via the communication device 31 to calculate the compensation amount of the rental bicycle. Get charged for the user's account.

  As shown in FIG. 8, the return management device 33 remotely confirms the return of the rental bicycle (step S7). If the return confirmation cannot be obtained by a predetermined time, the billing processing device 30 is used. In step S8, communication with the settlement server S is performed to charge the compensation amount as previously foretold (step S8). Note that such compensation billing processing is realized in cooperation with a credit card company. If the user intends to return the bicycle correctly, but does not meet the set return time, the user can be handled by calling the rental service company.

  In this way, the user can freely ride this rental bicycle from the parked location. Assuming that the user is going to get off the bicycle halfway and operate, the knob 44 of the rear wheel lock 4 is operated to lock it with the lock bar 45, or the cover 43 of the rear wheel lock 4 is credited. It is preferable that the card C be unlocked by an operation of holding the card C. In addition, the code | symbol 46 in FIG. 6 points out the temporary parking button for notifying the fee settlement machine 3 that it is temporary parking rather than returning.

  In addition, the bicycle may be provided with a GPS (Global Positioning System) so that the rental service company can always grasp the position of the bicycle on the map.

  In the above-described embodiment, paid rental is dealt with. However, it is also possible to construct a free rental service so that only a compensation fee can be secured without charging a usage fee.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Charge adjustment machine 10 Charge processing apparatus 11 Card reader 12 Communication apparatus 13 Lock control apparatus 14 Return management apparatus 2 Return rack 20 Front wheel passage 21 Locking apparatus 22 Lock bar 23 Antenna 3 Charge adjustment machine 30 Charge processing apparatus 31 Communication apparatus 32 Lock management Device 33 Return management device 4 Rear wheel lock 40 Lock control device 41 Card reader 42 Communication device 43 Holding unit 44 Knob 45 Lock bar 46 Temporary parking button

Claims (8)

  A return management device for confirming the return of the rental product, a lock management device for controlling the unlocking of the lock of the rental product itself or the lock of the rental product storage device, and for charging the rental of the rental product A billing processing device, the billing processing device performs a billing process by adding a compensation amount of the rental product to the rental fee and starts the rental by unlocking the lock by the lock management device, A rental system in which the return management device performs return confirmation of the rental product, and when the return confirmation is made by a predetermined time, the refund processing for the compensation money is performed.   A return management device for confirming the return of the rental product, a lock management device for controlling the unlocking of the lock of the rental product itself or the lock of the rental product storage device, and for charging the rental of the rental product A billing processing device, which performs billing processing for a rental fee, unlocks the lock by the lock management device and starts rental, and returns the rental product by the return management device. A rental system that performs a billing process for a compensation amount set in advance if confirmation is not made and return confirmation is not made by a predetermined time.   The rental system according to claim 1, wherein the rental product is a vehicle, and the storage device is a parking facility of the vehicle.   The rental system according to claim 1, wherein the billing processing device performs billing processing using a credit card.   The charging processing device adds the compensation amount to the rental fee of the rental product and performs the accounting processing, and the lock management device unlocks the lock of the rental product itself or the lock of the rental product storage device. A step of starting rental; a step in which a return management device confirms whether or not the rental product has been returned; and if the rental product has been returned by a predetermined time, the billing processing device A rental method including a step of performing a refund process.   A step in which the billing processing device performs billing processing for the rental fee of the rental product, and a step in which the lock management device unlocks the lock of the rental product itself or the lock of the rental product storage device and starts rental. The return management device confirms whether or not the rental product has been returned; and if the rental product has not been returned by a predetermined time, the billing processing device performs a billing process for a compensation amount set in advance. And a rental method including steps.   The rental method according to claim 5 or 6, wherein the rental product is a vehicle, and the storage device is a parking facility of the vehicle.   The rental method according to claim 5 or 6, wherein the billing processing device performs billing processing using a credit card.

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