JP2002140400A - System and method for reserving seat - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a system and a method for seat reservation which can lighten the burden of seat reservation work on a person in charge and improve the convenience for users. SOLUTION: The seat reservation system 1 has an input part 11 for inputting the number of members of a group desiring reserved seats and a control part 15 which extract a seat pattern from a storage part 13 according to the number of the members of the group inputted through the input part 11 and matches the seat pattern against vacant seat states managed by a management part 14 to automatically reserve seats whose tickets can be issued. The seats automatically reserved by the control part 15 are displayed through a display part 12 of a terminal machine 2 together with the seat pattern of a vehicle including at least the seats and an operator informs the users of them.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a seat designating system for designating a seat of an express train or an airplane with all seats designated, and a seat designating method.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, when purchasing a seat reservation ticket such as an express train or an airplane with all seats reserved, a passenger can ask a staff member at a window to use a window seat, an aisle seat, a non-smoking seat, a smoking seat, etc. Communicate requests for seats and, when purchasing multiple seat reservation tickets as a group, the number of seats purchased.

[0003] A clerk at the counter searches the seats requested by the user by operating the terminal, informs the user of the vacant seats, confirms them, and issues the desired number of seat designation tickets. I do.

[0004]

However, according to the above-mentioned conventional seat designating method, the staff at the window receives a request from the customer regarding the seat, and operates the terminal to search for a vacant seat. Finding a seat takes time and effort,
The work load by the staff was heavy.

In some cases, it is difficult for a passenger to secure a desired seat due to congestion or the like, and in the worst case, the departure time has to be changed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and an object of the present invention is to provide a seat designation system and a seat designation system capable of reducing the work load required for a staff member to designate a seat and improving the convenience for a passenger. It is to provide a method.

[0007]

In order to achieve the above object, a seat designation system according to the present invention comprises an input section for inputting the number of people in a group for which a seat is desired to be designated, and a combination rule of seats according to the number of people. A storage unit that stores the set seat table, a management unit that manages the vacancy status of the seat, and a seat table that is stored in the storage unit based on the number of people in the group input via the input unit. A seat designation control unit that extracts a corresponding seat combination rule and designates a seat based on the extracted seat combination rule with reference to the vacant seat status managed by the management unit.

According to the present invention, a combination rule of seats is extracted from a seat table preset according to the number of members of the group input via the input unit, and a seat based on the rule is designated by referring to the vacant seat situation. . For this reason, it is possible to eliminate the trouble of the clerk having heard the request from the user to search for a seat that meets the request, and reduce the work load on the clerk.

Further, according to the invention described above, the storage unit stores a plurality of different seat tables in which the combination rules of the seats are changed according to designated conditions including a day of the week, a time zone, and a type of a seat. The seat designation control unit is characterized in that a seat combination rule according to the number of people is extracted from a seat table selected according to the designated condition.
As a result, a seat table suitable for the day of the week and time zone can be used, and it is possible to cope with congestion or off-peak time.

[0010] According to the seat designating method of the present invention, a seat table is prepared in which seat combination rules are set in advance according to the number of people, and the number of groups for which seat designation is desired is entered. Based on the number of people, a corresponding seat combination rule is extracted from the seat table, and a seat is specified based on the extracted seat combination rule with reference to the seat availability.

Further, the seat designation system of the present invention has an input unit for inputting seat conditions relating to a desired seat, a management unit for managing vacant seats, and a seat condition input via the input unit. The desired seat to be searched is searched with reference to the vacant seat status managed by the above management section, and if there is a vacant seat, the desired seat is designated. If there is no vacant seat and there is no vacant seat in the future, If there is a desired seat to be occupied, another seat is designated until the desired vacant seat becomes vacant, and the desired seat becomes vacant when the desired seat becomes vacant. A seat designation control unit for designation.

According to the above invention, even if the desired seat is not found when the desired seat is searched for, if there is a desired seat scheduled to become vacant in the future, other seats are reserved until the desired seat becomes vacant. A desired seat can be designated when the desired seat becomes vacant. This allows the user to sit on the desired seat when the desired seat becomes vacant if he / she stands with another seat until the desired seat becomes vacant. In this case, the user does not need to wait until the desired seat becomes vacant in order to obtain the desired seat, and the convenience can be improved. Further, according to the present invention, vacant seats can be effectively used, and the train operation efficiency can be improved.

Further, according to the invention described above, the seat conditions include conditions such as non-smoking seats, smoking seats, window seats, aisle seats, and the like.

Further, according to the seat designating method of the present invention, a seat condition relating to a desired seat is inputted, and a desired seat corresponding to the inputted seat condition is searched for from a vacant seat, and a request for a vacant seat is obtained. If there is a seat, specify the desired seat, and if there is no desired seat that is vacant and there is a desired seat that will be vacant in the future, the desired seat that becomes the vacant seat becomes vacant Until another seat is designated and the desired seat scheduled to be vacant becomes vacant, the desired seat is designated.

Further, according to the above-described invention, the seat conditions include conditions such as non-smoking seats, smoking seats, window seats, and aisle seats.

[0016]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a seat designation system 1 (hereinafter, simply referred to as a system 1) according to a first embodiment of the present invention. This system 1 is a limited express train, bus, airplane,
Alternatively, it is for automatically designating a seat in a movie theater or the like according to the number of people in the group. Thereby, a group of seats can be secured for each group. Here, a case will be described as an example where the system is used to designate the seat of an express train according to the number of people in a group.

The system 1 has a terminal 2 installed at a ticket window for issuing an express train ticket, that is, an express ticket, and a host machine 4 connected online to the terminal 2. Here, the case where the operator at the window operates the terminal 2 will be described. However, the customer himself / herself who desires to issue an express ticket (designate a seat) may operate the terminal 2 itself.

The terminal 2 has an input unit 11 for receiving various operation inputs by the operator, and a display unit 12 for displaying various seat information to the operator.

The host unit 4 has a storage unit 13 storing a seat reservation master file having a plurality of types of master patterns 1 to n (seat tables) as shown in FIG. It has a management unit 14 that manages the vacant seat status of the vehicle in real time, and a control unit 15 (seat designation control unit). The control unit 15 extracts a seat pattern from a predetermined master pattern in the storage unit 13 based on the number of members of the group input via the input unit 11 and
This seat pattern is collated with the vacant seat status managed in step 4 to automatically designate a seat on which a ticket can be issued. The seat automatically designated by the control unit 15 is displayed via the display unit 12 of the terminal 2 together with at least the seat pattern of the vehicle including the seat, and is transmitted to the user by the operator.

A plurality of types (here, n types) of master patterns of the seat reservation master file shown in FIG. 2 are prepared by changing the seat designation conditions such as the day of the week, the time zone, and the type of the seat. The type of seat includes a rotating seat. The master pattern to be used is automatically determined according to the day of the week, time zone, and the like. Each master pattern has a plurality of seat patterns (seat combination rules) preset according to the number of people to which the seats are assigned. For example, the master pattern 1 in FIG. 2 is assigned as a master pattern mainly for office workers for weekdays from Monday to Friday, and the master pattern 2 is a master pattern prepared for Saturday, Sunday, and holidays. It is a pattern.

For example, if a group of three passengers offers an express ticket on Saturday, the master pattern 2 assigned for Saturday is a three-seater seat pattern (seats 1 and 2 are in the front row and seat 3 is Is extracted in the back row), and the seat corresponding to this seat pattern is specified by comparing it with the vacant seat status.

Next, a seat designating method in the system 1 will be described with reference to FIG.

First, the operator, who has accepted the issuance of a limited express ticket in group units by the user, operates the input unit 1 of the terminal 2.
The user inputs various conditions relating to the seats heard from the customer via step 1 (step 1). The input conditions include the number of groups, smoking / smoking seats, window seats / passage seats, departure time, departure station, arrival station, and the like. The number of people in the group among the conditions input in step 1 is sent to the control unit 15 of the host machine 4, and an inquiry is made as to whether or not there is a seat meeting the conditions.

The control unit 15 of the host device 4 receiving the inquiry from the terminal 2 by receiving the number of members of the group,
3 is referenced (step 2) with reference to a predetermined master pattern of the seat reservation master file stored in the seat reservation master file, and a seat pattern suitable for the number of people is extracted. At this time, among the plurality of master patterns in the seat reservation master file, a master pattern automatically selected according to the day of the week and time zone is referred to, and a corresponding seat pattern is extracted from the master pattern.

Subsequently, the control unit 15 checks the seat pattern extracted from the master pattern against the real-time vacancy status managed by the management unit 14, and automatically searches for a vacant seat corresponding to the seat pattern. If there is a corresponding seat as a result of the search, the control unit 15 specifies these seats, and transmits a layout diagram of the seats of the vehicle including the seat to the terminal 2 as search result data (step 3).

On the other hand, if a vacant seat corresponding to the seat pattern cannot be retrieved, the fact is transmitted to the terminal 2 and displayed on the display unit 12. In this case, the customer searches for another seat, requests a change in the seat pattern, or changes the departure time, in consultation with the operator.

By the way, the terminal 2 receiving the search result (seat layout) displays the layout received from the host machine 4 via the display unit 12 (step 4). At this time,
The seat corresponding to the seat pattern extracted in step 2 is highlighted, for example, and the position of the seat to be designated is displayed in an easy-to-understand manner. The operator looks at the displayed contents, adds a description of the searched seat to the customer as needed, obtains confirmation from the customer, and designates the seat (step 5).

Then, an instruction to secure a seat confirmed by the user is transmitted to the control unit 15 of the host machine 4 via the input unit 11. Control unit 1 that has received the instruction to secure a seat
In step 5, based on the search result transmitted to the terminal device 2 in step 3, a process for securing a corresponding seat is performed (step 6), and a ticketing machine (not shown) is instructed to issue a ticket.
Issue an express ticket for the number of people (step 7). At this time,
The control unit 15 rewrites the vacant seat status managed by the management unit 14 for the seats for which tickets have been issued.

As described above, according to the above-described system 1 according to the first embodiment, a master pattern prepared in advance for a passenger who wishes to issue an express ticket at a group of two or more people. , You can instantly specify a vacant seat. That is, unlike the related art, it is unnecessary for the operator to check the vacant seat status and search for seats for the number of seats, so that the search time and effort for specifying the seats can be greatly reduced. When the user wants to change the designated seat, the seat can be manually designated again by the operator as in the related art.

Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. Since the system configuration of the present embodiment is the same as that of the first embodiment, the system configuration will be described with reference to FIG. In the present embodiment, for example, the seats of an express train for which all seats are designated are efficiently designated according to the passenger's request.

For example, as shown in FIG. 4, it is assumed that a customer who wants a non-smoking seat gets on an express train from station A to station C. At this time, if it is assumed that non-smoking seats (non-smoking vehicles) from station A to station B on the way are full and there are non-smoking seats from station B to station C that will be vacant, the passengers
Smoking seats will be used in the boarding section from the station to the B station, and non-smoking seats will be used in the boarding section from the B station to the C station.

In this case, the limited express ticket issued at the station A is one in which two seats are designated for one ticket as illustrated in FIG.

Here, a method of designating a seat of an express train by the system according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to a flowchart shown in FIG.

First, the input unit 11 of the terminal 2 of the system 1
, Various conditions relating to the desired seat of the limited express train heard from the user are input by the operator (step 11). The input conditions include a boarding station, a drop-off station, non-smoking seats, smoking seats, window seats, aisle seats, desired departure time, and the like. Then, the condition relating to the desired seat input in step 1 is sent to the control unit 15 of the host machine 4, and an inquiry is made as to whether there is a seat meeting the condition.

Control unit 1 of host machine 4 receiving the inquiry
5 acquires the seat reservation status from the real-time vacancy status managed by the management unit 14, and searches for the presence or absence of the desired seat desired by the user (step 12). As a result of the search, if there is a vacant seat in the desired seat, the control unit 15 designates the desired seat and transmits a layout diagram of the seats of the vehicle including the desired seat to the terminal device 2 as search result data (step). 13).

If there is no vacant seat in the desired seat as a result of the search, the control unit 15 searches again whether there is a desired seat to be vacant in the future. That is, a search is made to determine whether or not there is a desired seat scheduled to be vacant from the station on the way. Then, as a result of this search, when it is determined that there is a desired seat scheduled to be vacant from the station on the way, the control unit 15 specifies a seat other than the desired seat for the boarding section to the station on the way, and Designate the desired seat that will be the vacant seat in the boarding section from the midway station to the getting off station. The data on the two seats designated in this way is transmitted to the terminal 2 as search result data together with the layout of the seats of the two vehicles including these two seats (step 1).
3).

The search result (seat layout)
The terminal 2 receiving the display displays the layout received from the host 4 via the display unit 12 (step 14). At this time, the designated one or two seats are highlighted, for example, and the positions of the designated seats are displayed in an easy-to-understand manner. The operator looks at the displayed contents, adds a description of the searched seat to the patron as needed, obtains confirmation from the patron, and designates the seat (step 15).

Then, an instruction to secure a seat confirmed by the user is transmitted to the control unit 15 of the host machine 4 via the input unit 11. Control unit 1 that has received the instruction to secure a seat
In step 5, a process for securing a corresponding seat is performed based on the search result transmitted to the terminal device 2 in step 13 (step 16), a ticketing instruction is issued to a ticketing machine (not shown), and a desired limited express Issue a ticket (Step 1
7). At this time, the control unit 15 determines that the ticketed seat is
The vacancy status managed by the management unit 14 is rewritten.

As described above, according to the above-described second embodiment, it is known that even if an express ticket for a desired seat cannot be purchased from the boarding station, the desired seat is vacant from the middle station. In such a case, a seat desired by the user can be provided even from the station on the way. In this case, another seat different from the desired seat is specified for the boarding section from the boarding station to the middle station, and the desired seat that will be vacant for the boarding section from the middle station to the drop-off station is specified. One ticket specifying a seat is issued.

It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, but can be variously modified within the scope of the present invention.

[0042]

As described above, the seat designating system of the present invention has the above-described configuration and operation, so that the work load required for the seat design work by the attendant can be reduced, and the number of passengers can be reduced. Convenience can be improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a seat designation system according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a view showing an example of a seat reservation master file stored in a storage unit incorporated in the system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a flowchart for explaining a seat designation method by the system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a view for explaining a seat designating method according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a view exemplifying a ticket issued based on the seat designation method described in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a flowchart for explaining a seat designation method according to the second embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Seat specification system, 2 ... Terminal, 4 ... Host machine, 11 ... Input part, 12 ... Display part, 13 ... Storage part, 14 ... Management part, 15 ... Control part.

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. An input unit for inputting the number of people in a group for which a seat is desired to be designated, a storage unit for storing a seat table in which rules for combination of seats according to the number of people are set in advance, and a management for managing vacant seat status of seats And, based on the number of members of the group input via the input unit, the corresponding seat combination rules are extracted from the seat table stored in the storage unit, and the vacant seats managed by the management unit are extracted. A seat designation control unit for designating a seat based on a seat combination rule extracted with reference to a situation. 2. The storage unit stores a plurality of different seat tables in which a combination rule of the seats is changed according to a designation condition including a day of the week, a time zone, and a type of a seat. 2. The seat designation system according to claim 1, wherein a combination rule of the seats according to the number of people is extracted from a seat table selected according to the designation condition. 3. A seat table in which rules for combination of seats according to the number of people are set in advance is prepared, and the number of people in a group whose seat is desired to be designated is input. A seat designating method comprising: extracting a corresponding seat combination rule; and designating a seat based on the extracted seat combination rule with reference to the seat availability. 4. An input unit for inputting a seat condition relating to a desired seat, a management unit for managing vacant seat status of the seat, and a desired seat corresponding to the seat condition input via the input unit, the management unit including: Search by referring to the vacant seat status managed in the above, specify the desired seat if there is a vacant seat, and if there is no vacant seat and there is a desired seat that will be vacant in the future In this case, a seat designation control unit that designates another seat until the desired seat to be vacant becomes vacant and designates this desired seat when the desired seat to be vacant becomes vacant, A seat designation system comprising: 5. The seat designation system according to claim 4, wherein the seat conditions include conditions such as non-smoking seats, smoking seats, window seats, and aisle seats. 6. Enter the seat conditions relating to the desired seat, search for the desired seat corresponding to the input seat condition from the vacant seats, and if there is a vacant seat, select the desired seat. If there is no desired seat vacant and there is a desired seat scheduled to be vacant in the future, another seat shall be designated until the desired seat to become vacant becomes vacant, and A seat designating method, wherein a desired seat to be vacant is designated when the desired seat becomes vacant. 7. The seat designating method according to claim 6, wherein the seat conditions include conditions such as non-smoking seats, smoking seats, window seats, and aisle seats.