JP2001209718A - Method for securing and releasing reservation - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To quickly connect a seller and a buyer, and to reduce any loss by securing and releasing the reservation of public facilities such as public transport, hotels, and theaters through a portable telephone, portable information equipment, and a fixed telephone, so that the fare adjustment of charge is easily performed. SOLUTION: It is possible to secure vacant seats, and to release reservation until the last moment of the departure of public transport by quickly securing and releasing reservation through a telephone, the telephone set of a communication entrepreneur and a portable telephone set, and directly performing access from portable equipment 12 and 13 to a private branch network 3 in a station for preventing any loss. Thus, it is possible to easily execute fare adjustment by using a telephone fee post-payment system.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a connection between a portable terminal device, a fixed terminal device, an Internet network, a portable device started by a telecommunications carrier and the Internet, for example, i-mode by NTT DoCoMo. It relates to a method of canceling a reservation using the service and immediately securing the canceled facility.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art When canceling reservations for transportation and public facilities, it has been necessary to go to a facility window to carry out procedures and settle fees. Moreover, the user paid the penalty even if there was enough time to make up for and compensate for the cancellation in days.

[0003]

In the prior art,
They had to go to the counter or use a telephone / postal communication method and a credit card together to cancel the reservation. In particular, in the case of train and train reservation and cancellation, it was impossible to secure a reservation near the time of departure or cancel without penalty. All cancellations resulted in customer losses.

[0004] Reservations can be made by at least communication means such as telephones or access to an Internet homepage.
However, it was not possible to cancel or cancel the customer without going to the counter.

[0005] Therefore, the conventional methods often damage both service providers (transportation and public facilities) and customers.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, a reservation secure / cancel mode is provided in a telephone of a telephone or a communication business. This is particularly effective for mobile phones and mobile terminals with mobility. For example, a mode for securing and canceling a reservation is mounted on the i-mode (product name) of NTT DoCoMo.

[0007] Reservation and cancellation of reservations can be made from the mobile phone 12 and the portable information device 13 so that the purpose can be achieved via the Internet 1 from anywhere in the country.

[0008] In the case of transportation, a private network is provided to directly access from the portable devices 12 and 13. A few minutes before departure, reservations can be secured and canceled, and sellers (facilities) and buyers (users) are quickly connected. When the cancellation and the reservation are obtained, the approval number, the facility ID, and the like are returned to both devices and recorded.

[0009] For example, by using a post-payment system of a telecommunications carrier such as i-mode, clearing by reservation reservation and cancellation can be reliably performed, so that it is possible to reduce damages to both parties.

The portable terminal devices 12 and 13 are provided with an electronic card for personal identification (Japanese Patent Application No.
-281881) to obtain a customer. Therefore, there is little danger of being misused by others.

[0011]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Before describing embodiments of the present invention, the positioning of the present invention will be described. Securing and canceling reservations is a service provided by i-mode (a product name of NTT DOCOMO, Inc.) for the purpose of connecting mobile phones to the Internet, a service of a rapidly growing telecommunications carrier, with additional functions. The purpose is to improve the service functions for minimizing the convenience and damages of service recipients, that is, general consumers and users, in the fields of transportation, drama, shows, sightseeing, etc.

[0012] The movement of people and the enjoyment of culture are steadily developing due to the activation of economic activities and enhancement of urban functions.
Among them, transportation, hospitals, famous restaurants, hotels, beauty salons, golf courses, operas, music and the like often require reservations in advance.

[0013] The reservation system for facilities, entertainments, and transportation is expected to grow in the future, and the use of e-commerce (electronic transactions) will be increasing more and more. Everyone wants to secure their favorite seats at their own time.

Even if a desired vehicle or event seat is reserved by reservation, an unexpected situation often occurs and the event is often canceled. In this case, the damage often imposes a burden on the user and the consumer. Alternatively, the provider and the user often bear partial damages.

For example, hotels and inns are canceled one month ago, seven days ago, three days ago, etc., at a fixed rate between the facility provider and the user. In the case of a sudden cancellation, the facility will suffer total damage at the time of the postpaid fee.

There is also the opposite case. Despite the fact that a user has purchased a ticket at a high price, there is a case where the user is sick or the urgent need to make it look like paper waste.

[0017] Cancellation occurs for sudden and accidental reasons. It is inevitable for those who live social life. If the facility is notified of the cancellation as soon as possible, both parties will have less damage.

For example, in the case of JR, a reserved fee of about 30% + a basic fee of about 300 yen is collected from two days before the departure time. Moreover, this procedure can only be performed at the JR window. In the current society of the Internet age, it can be said that it is a system of anachronism.

Reservations for facilities such as transportation, operas, and golf courses are made in advance with a sufficient number of days, but cancellations are caused by unpredictable sudden or accidental events.

In many cases, traffic jams and train accidents occur on the way to facilities. This cancellation notice makes the mobile in the Internet age, that is, the portable information terminal device exhibit mobility.

In February 1999, NTT DoCoMo launched an i-mode service that allows access to the Internet from a mobile phone. There were 2 million subscribers in October 1999, and 10 million is expected in the spring of 2001.

[0022] With the rapid growth of i-mode, information content service providers who have not performed much have come back to life and offer various services. The character distribution service distributed by toys and manufacturers distributes different characters every day at low rates according to the user's preference.

Music distribution called ringtones has also begun. In addition to the troublesome operation of personal computers (PCs), mobile phones and portable information devices have made it possible to directly access the Internet.

It can be said that the decommissioning of the PC has brought the Internet to a new stage. In 2001, IMT200 will provide more convenience, reliability and high quality service
The zero-year service has also become realistic.

The present invention is characterized in that a reservation securing and canceling mode is added to an environment such as i-mode of NTT DOCOMO, for example, in such a rapidly developing telephone.

FIG. 1 shows the convenience of a service provider and a receiver by using a fixed device such as a portable information device, a personal computer, or a telephone in which a reservation securing and release mode is added to an Internet access service such as i-mode. Fig. 1 shows a system configuration diagram for the purpose of improving the system.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes an Internet public network. The Internet 1 is connected to the national network 2 via the gateway server 8.
For example, in the case of JR, the nationwide network of No. 2 is a network connected to a counter in Japan. The two national networks are connected not only to JR but also to private railways and hotels in each region.

In the case of hotels and inns, there is also a service network for a specific type of business connected by a nationwide network. Airlines, transportation and tourism companies have similar service networks. Various information desired by the user is stored in the database 9 in FIG. The service can be sold by accessing the Internet 1 from a portable or fixed device as needed.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 3 denotes a campus network, and in the case of JR, the campus network includes stations in Tokyo station, Shinjuku, Shibuya and the like. Shinjuku and Shibuya stations also have private railways, so this means a campus network that includes private railways as well as JR.

FIG. 1 shows a base station 4 of the wireless public access network.
PHS, PDA (Portable Data Terminal) base station antenna, from which the Internet network 1 is accessed. Reference numeral 5 denotes an office configuration. 14 is a personal computer, 15
Is a telephone. Reference numeral 11 denotes a connection line with the Internet 1.

The PC 14 and the telephone 15 also have a reservation securement / cancellation mode according to the present invention similar to the i-mode. 14, 1
From the terminal No. 5, it is possible to secure or cancel reservations for transportation and facilities such as Shinkansen and hotels.

Reference numeral 6 denotes a network configuration of a home and a home, which have been widely spread. Reference numeral 16 denotes a bidirectional digital TV.
There is a set-top box (not shown), which is connected to the Internet, and secures or releases a reservation from the screen of the TV.

Reference numeral 17 denotes a multi-function telephone, which also has a reservation securement / cancellation service function such as i-mode. Recently, home appliances have been called information home appliances, and the Internet connection has become possible from refrigerators, microwave ovens, and washing kettles. Therefore, the user can access OA equipment which is troublesome to operate, such as a personal computer, from home appliances which are familiar and familiar.

Reference numeral 10 denotes a router for a private LAN. 7
Shows the station premises as an example. Examples of applications include not only stations but also department stores and entire tenant buildings, specific areas, and airports. The specific area is 200m radius like PHS or 10m
The service can be limited to within km.

A personal computer 14 is connected to the station window 19 in the premises network 3. Here, the staff of the station directly interacts with customers at the counter to make reservations and cancel reserved seats.

Numeral 12 denotes a portable telephone equipped with an additional function such as i-mode, and numeral 13 denotes a PDA (Personal Di
digital Assistant, MBT (Mobi
1 shows a portable information device, such as a personal computer.

The user 18 directly accesses the antenna 20 of the local network to search for a vacant seat on the train or train just before departure, or to cancel for sudden reasons. The user 18 makes a reservation from the portable devices 12 and 13. You can input the cancellation of the seat that you were using by key operation.

One of the features of the present invention is that a user who does not have a train or a reserved seat ticket for a train can use the portable terminal device 12,
If you look at the vacant seat status of the train you want to get on from 13, you can immediately reserve your favorite seat from devices 12 and 13 if it is vacant.

A designated seat canceled for an unexpected reason becomes vacant and sales information can be immediately transmitted through the private network. A person who has waited in the waiting mode with the vacant seats 12 and 13 can obtain the vacant seat information and secure the reservation. Traditionally, people waiting for a seat were waiting at a check-in counter at a home or airport.

When a cancel signal is received, a server or computer (not shown) in the premises immediately transmits information as an empty seat. This minimizes the damage to both service providers and users.

It is not necessary for those who are waiting for a line to wait, and those who have canceled already have tickets.
For communication service such as NTT DOCOMO's i-mode, the communication fee can be settled at the time of billing because the communication fee is postpaid.

There is no need to follow up for reservation reservation at the window 19 in the premises. The use of mobile devices in the Internet age to minimize damage and the wait-for-waiting customers is just the gospel.

In a premises, a station, an airport, or a department store, information is constantly transmitted and received in a limited area by using a bluetooth or infrared communication system using a weak power source as premises radio, and the cost for equipment can be reduced. The antenna 20 is located at an appropriate place on the premises, and it is possible to know where the customer is.

A person who has ample time can secure and cancel the above-mentioned reservation at home, in the office, or on the street using portable equipment or fixed equipment.

FIG. 2 shows the overall configuration of software installed in the portable information device. 21 is a hardware platform, a mobile phone, a portable information device (PDA, MBT)
1 shows a hardware unit.

Reference numeral 22 denotes a platform of application software to be mounted. Here, Windows, CE, and MB of Microsoft Corp.
The T manager has been ported. MBT manager is M
OPA (Mobil Office Promotion)
n Association). It is an intermediate language for connecting between mobile devices and other fixed devices, connecting with mobile devices, sharing information, and the like.

Reference numeral 28 denotes an upper layer of the application. 24 is a voice telephone, 25 is Internet mail, 26 is music distribution MP3 (MPEG1 Audio)
layerIII) and 27 indicate application modes for reservation reservation and release according to the present invention.

From 28, the other application mode is shown, for example, the personal authentication mode. It is possible to add service mode software to the device as needed. Here, an electronic card 41 and application software for personal identification using a password are stored.

FIG. 3 shows a screen browser of the portable devices 12 and 13. FIG. 3A shows the situation of vacant seats on the train.

What is displayed on the 31 Browser is a real-time display of trains, trains, and vacant seats of airplanes. Reference numeral 32 denotes a display portion indicating that there is a vacant seat when no reservation is made from the beginning regardless of whether or not there is cancellation, and there may be no red, green may be empty, or text may be displayed.

Reference numeral 33 is displayed in real time when a vacant seat is created due to cancellation regardless of whether there are 32 vacant seats or not. The places where the cells are filled are shown as vacant seats. Numeral 34 indicates the position of an empty seat.

The user can automatically make a reservation by clicking the desired seat using the key of the mouse 37 and pressing the reservation securing key 36. The key 35 is for canceling the reservation, and is automatically canceled by pressing this key.

FIG. 3B is a browser showing that the user has waited for a cancellation on the premises and has reserved an empty seat.

FIG. 3 (c) shows a release key 3 when the user wants to cancel a reserved ticket for unexpected or accidental reasons.
5 is a browser showing a state when 5 is pressed. Without canceling immediately, a confirmation question appears from the server at 7 in the premises diagram 1.

One tempo is provided to prevent the user from pressing the cancel key 35 by mistake. When the reservation is released, if the release key 35 is pressed again, the reservation is canceled immediately and the display shown in FIG. If the user does not want to cancel, pressing the reservation secure key 36 here can secure the state before canceling.

When the cancellation is made, the information of the vacant seat is immediately transmitted from the server in the station premises to search for a new customer. The vacant seat number of the canceled or secured train and the ID number of the user are displayed on the browser 31.

In this operation mode, it is possible to receive the operation mode 30 minutes before, 15 minutes before, 10 minutes before, and 5 minutes before departure. A person who has the portable devices 12 and 13 can recognize the desired train and the distance from the train location from the local server. When using this mode of operation on a home, 3-5 minutes is sufficient.

When a train or a train is shown to the station staff, the browser 31 (b) of the portable device can be used instead of a designated ticket or a ticket. For example, in the i-mode, the user pays only for the post-paid use, so that the telecommunications carrier NT
Requested by T-DOCOMO.

The same applies to the case of cancellation, and the settlement amount is refunded since the post-payment billing system of the telephone and the telecommunications carrier has been established.

In this case, the ticket canceled 10 minutes before departure as a fee for canceling the reservation is a fixed amount of 1
0% will be refunded. Cancellation of a reservation depends on the station, airport, and location.

Since the waiting person is at the platform of the station, there is no loss on the part of the facility.
Since there is always a seller (the person who canceled) and a buyer (the facility side), margins are taken from both sides, so there is a great advantage for the facility side.

The user 18 presses the personal authentication electronic card 41 against the fingerprint authentication sensor unit 42 for personal identification, which is located on the personal authentication electronic card 41, and performs personal authentication using a fingerprint. This electronic card is disclosed in a fingerprint authentication electronic card, Japanese Patent Application No. 10-281881.

The fingerprint imprinted on 42 disappears after a certain period of time.
3 is not abused. In the e-commerce era where large amounts of cash are transferred over a network, it can be said that security is necessary.

The user 18 uses the password and 41 personal identification electronic cards from the portable devices 12 and 13 immediately before using them.
2 can be used by obtaining a usage right from a portable device management center (not shown).

[0065]

Since the present invention is configured as described above, it has the following effects.

For example, a reservation secure / cancel mode is added to the i-mode of a telephone or a telecommunications carrier such as NTT DoCoMo as a telecommunications carrier. Reservation and cancellation (cancellation) of facilities such as transportation, hotels, theaters etc. can be done while staying.

The payment can be easily settled by the post-payment system of the telephone and telecommunications carriers.

In the Internet age, mobile phones and mobile information devices can make and receive calls, so that reservations and cancellations can be made without having to go to the counter each time. Therefore, it is not necessary to find a buyer (securing a reservation) and a seller (cancelling a reservation) quickly with the labor saving of the window service, and not to damage both parties.

An electronic card for personal identification (Japanese Patent Application No. 10-28)
1881) and the password, the user and the owner of the device are matched before the right to use is given. Therefore, even if the portable device is lost or dropped, it is not misused by others.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram of reservation reservation and cancellation.

FIG. 2 is a software configuration diagram of a portable device used in the present system.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a configuration and a use state of a portable device.

FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram of a reservation securing and releasing system in the premises.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Internet network 2 Nationwide reservation network 3 Premise network 4 Wireless base station 5 Office 6 Home 7 Premise 8 Gateway server 9 Database 10 Router 12 Cellular phone 13 Portable information device 14 Personal computer 15 Telephone 16 Digital TV 17 Multifunctional telephone 18 User 21 Hardware Platform 22 Application Platform 23 Application Software 24 Phone Mode 25 Mail Mode 26 MP3 Mode 27 Reservation Secure / Cancel Mode 28 Personal Authentication Mode 31 Browser 32 Vacancy Display 33 Real-Time Vacancy Display 34 Vacancy Display by Seat 35 Reservation secure key 36 Reservation release key 37 Mouse key 41 Personal authentication electronic card 42 Fingerprint stamp

Claims (8)

[Claims] 1. A method for securing and canceling reservations, wherein a reservation securement and cancellation mode (27) is added to a telephone, a mobile phone of a communication carrier, and a fixed telephone. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the settlement of the charge caused by securing and canceling the reservation is performed by collecting the difference using a post-payment system for telephone communication charges. Method. 3. The securing of a reservation according to claim 1, wherein the securing and canceling of the reservation means that the loss can be reduced even if the reservation of a reserved seat of a transportation facility, a theater, a leisure facility, a hospital or the like is canceled. And how to unlock. 4. The reservation according to claim 1, wherein the reservation is secured and released by accessing the Internet network to quickly connect the seller and the buyer to the loss caused by the release and reservation and to prevent the loss. How to secure and release. 5. A portable device (1) in a premises of a transportation facility.
2) A method of securing and canceling reservations, characterized in that reserved seats can be reserved and canceled at least until immediately before departure of transportation means by directly accessing from (13). 6. A vacant seat that the customer wants to make a reservation appears on the screen of the portable device (12), (13), the fixed device (14), (15), (16), (17). A method for securing and canceling reservations, wherein the reservation is secured by actuating (clicking, pressing) the mouse or keyboard. 7. A reservation securement and release, characterized in that at least a reservation securement key and a release key are provided on the portable devices (12) and (13) and the release key is pressed to cancel the reservation. the method of. 8. A portable device (1) is connected to a private network (3).
2) A method for securing and canceling reservations, wherein (13) is accessed and the status of reservation and cancellation can be viewed in real time on the screen (31) until immediately before departure of transportation.