JP2002215774A - Rental system and its rental control method and rental control program - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a rental system for properly controlling lending of rental articles to users on the basis of an inventory of the rental articles in a plurality of respective rental stores. SOLUTION: This rental system controls lending of the rental article to the users from the rental stores by communicating with store terminals 40 provided in the respective rental stores and user terminals 10 of the respective users via a network 20. The rental system comprises inventory tables 31 provided in the respective rental stores, and indicating a present inventory of the rental articles, a request accepting part 32 for accepting a lending request including data transmitted from the user terminals 10 of the respective users, and designating the rental articles, and data for designating a delivery place of the rental articles, a store determining part 33 for determining a rental store of a lender on the basis of a preset determining method from the rental stores having the inventory of the rental articles, and a delivery instructing part 34 for informing a delivery instruction for the delivery place of the rental articles to the store terminal 40 of the rental store when the rental store determined as the lender is different from the designated delivery place of the rental articles.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a rental system, a rental management method and a rental management program for mediating a rental service from a rental shop to a user via a communication network such as the Internet.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in order for a user to receive a rental from a rental company that provides rental services such as video and CD, a rental shop for renting rental articles such as a desired video is searched for and a predetermined rental contract is made. When exchanging, renting or returning, the rental service is provided by going to the rental store and performing predetermined procedures. Similarly, in order to change the contents of the rental contract, such as extending the rental period, the contract must be renewed by going directly to the rental store or contacting them by telephone or the like.

[0003]

However, in the past, the user had to go to a rental shop every time he received a rental service, which was troublesome. Also, in order to check the specifications and rental prices handled by each rental store, and to compare specifications and prices with other rental stores, it is necessary to go to the rental store or make inquiries by phone, which takes time and effort. I was

[0004] The fact that a product that a user wants to rent is rented to another user and cannot be rented cannot be determined without actually visiting a rental store. When you want to extend the rental period, you have to go to a rental store to complete the procedure.

Conventionally, it is necessary for the rental company as a lender to prepare a clerk for explaining the video to be rented out, inquiring the customer about the rental price, etc., and responding to the visiting customer. In addition, it was necessary to display videos, CDs, and the like in the store to show to customers, and it was necessary to secure a store with a large space.

[0006] Further, when a plurality of rental stores are managed, each store has the same stock, which is inefficient.

[0007] An object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned drawbacks of the prior art and to provide a rental system, a rental management method and a rental management program for realizing efficient mediation of a rental service via a communication network. .

[0008]

In order to achieve the above object, a rental system according to the present invention uses a store terminal provided at each rental store and a user terminal of each user to communicate with the user via a communication network. In a rental system that manages the rental of rental goods, a rental request including data specifying the rental goods and data specifying the delivery location of the rental goods transmitted from the user terminal of each user is accepted. Request accepting means, store deciding means for deciding a rent source rental shop based on a preset decision method from among the rental shops having the stock of the rental article, and the rental shop decided as the rent source Is different from the designated delivery location of the rental article, Providing the delivery instruction means for notifying the delivery instruction of the rental article to the delivery place, so that the user can rent the rental article requested to be rented at the place where the user requires delivery. Features.

[0009] The rental system according to the second aspect of the present invention,
Of the rental articles provided in each of the rental stores,
A store table that indicates a current stock, the store determining unit searches the rental table for the rental store that includes the rental item to which the rental request has been transmitted from the user terminal from the inventory table; Means for notifying the user terminal of the user of the list data of the rental store having inventory, and notification of designating the rental store from which the rental article is selected by the user from the list data. Comprising means for receiving from the user terminal of the user, selected by the user,
The rental shop having the rental article is determined as a rental shop from which the rental article is lent.

A rental system according to a third aspect of the present invention includes:
The request accepting unit accepts a store selected by a user from the rental store from a user terminal of the user as designation of a delivery location of the rental item, and the delivery instruction unit sends a request to each of the store terminals. On the other hand, delivery of the rental article between the rental shops is instructed.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, the rental system comprises:
A table in which addresses of the users who desire to deliver the rental article are registered, and the request receiving unit includes:
When the rental request transmitted from the user terminal is received, the user refers to the data of the address desired to be delivered and registered in advance by the user, and sets the pre-registered address desired to be delivered to the rental article. It is a delivery place.

A rental system according to a fifth aspect of the present invention comprises:
The request receiving means receives, from the user terminal, a request to extend a rental period of the rental article being rented by the user, determines whether or not the request is possible based on a preset determination method, If it is determined that the extension of the rental article is permitted, the information of the rental contract of the rental article is updated, and the update of the information of the rental contract is notified to the shop terminal of the rental shop that lent the rental article. Features.

The rental system of the present invention according to claim 6 is:
The user periodically refers to the information on the rental period of the rental article being rented, and when the end of the rental period is approaching or the return is delayed, the user terminal 10 of the user is Means for notifying return request information for prompting return.

According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, there is provided a rental system.
The communication network is the Internet.

The rental server according to the present invention manages the lending of the rental article to the user by using a store terminal provided in each rental store and a user terminal of each user via a communication network. Request accepting means for accepting a rental request, wherein the rental server being a server device, transmitted from the user terminal of each user, includes data designating the rental article and data designating a delivery location of the rental article. A store deciding means for deciding a rent source rental store based on a preset decision method from among the rental stores having the stock of the rental article, and the rental store decided as the rent source is the rental store. If the goods are different from the designated delivery location, the rental is performed with respect to the store terminal of the rental shop. By providing delivery instruction means for notifying an instruction for delivery of an article to the delivery location, a rental item requested by a user to be lent is lent at a location requested by the user to be delivered. .

According to a ninth aspect of the present invention, the rental server includes an inventory table indicating a current inventory of the rental articles provided in each of the rental stores, and the store determining means transmits a rental request from the user terminal. Means for retrieving the rental store having the provided rental article from the inventory table, means for notifying the user terminal of the user of list data of the rental shop having inventory of the rental article, and A means for receiving, from the user terminal of the user, a notification designating the rental store from which the rental item is lent by the user selected from the data, and selecting the rental item selected by the user; The rental shop provided is determined as a rental shop from which the rental article is lent.

The rental server of the present invention according to claim 10 is:
The request accepting unit accepts a store selected by a user from the rental store from a user terminal of the user as designation of a delivery location of the rental item, and the delivery instruction unit sends a request to each of the store terminals. On the other hand, delivery of the rental article between the rental shops is instructed.

The rental server of the present invention according to claim 11 is
A table in which addresses of the users who desire to deliver the rental article are registered, and the request receiving unit includes:
When the rental request transmitted from the user terminal is received, the user refers to the data of the address desired to be delivered and registered in advance by the user, and sets the pre-registered address desired to be delivered to the rental article. It is a delivery place.

According to a twelfth aspect of the present invention, there is provided the rental server,
The communication network is the Internet.

According to a thirteenth aspect of the present invention, the rental management method according to the present invention manages the rental of rental articles to the user by using a shop terminal provided at each rental shop and a user terminal of each user via a communication network. A request management step of receiving a lending request, the data including data specifying the rental item and data specifying a delivery location of the rental item, transmitted from the user terminal of each user, A shop determining step of determining a rental shop of a lending source based on a preset determination method from among the rental shops having inventory of rental articles; and If the location differs from the designated delivery location, the rental terminal is By providing the delivery instruction step of notifying the instructions delivered to the delivery location, the rental articles the user requests a loan, the user and performing lending at a location requesting delivery.

According to a fourteenth aspect of the present invention, in the rental management method, the shop determining step includes the rental shop having the rental article to which the rental request is transmitted from the user terminal in each of the rental shops. Searching the inventory table indicating the current stock of the article, notifying the user terminal of the user of list data of the rental shop having the stock of the rental article, and setting the user from the list data. The selected, comprises a step of receiving from the user terminal of the user, a notification that specifies the rental shop of the rental source of the rental article, selected by the user, the rental shop with the rental article, It is characterized in that it is determined as a rental shop from which the rental article is lent.

According to a fifteenth aspect of the present invention, in the rental management method, the request receiving step includes the step of selecting a store selected by the user from the rental stores from the user terminal of the user.
The rental terminal is received as designation of a delivery place, and the delivery instruction step instructs each of the shop terminals to deliver the rental article between the rental shops.

A rental management method according to a sixteenth aspect of the present invention includes a step of referring to a table in which addresses of the users who desire to deliver the rental articles are registered, and the request receiving step includes a step of receiving the request from the user terminal. When the transmitted lending request is received, the user refers to the data of the address desired to be delivered and registered in advance in the user, and sets the address registered in advance and desired to be delivered as the delivery location of the rental article. It is characterized by the following.

A rental management method according to a seventeenth aspect of the present invention is characterized in that the communication network is the Internet.

The rental management program of the present invention according to claim 18 rents a rental article to a user via a communication network using a shop terminal provided at each rental shop and a user terminal of each user, In a rental management program managed by controlling a computer, a rental request transmitted from a user terminal of each of the users, including data specifying the rental item and data specifying a delivery location of the rental item, includes: A request accepting process to be accepted, a store deciding process of deciding a rent source rental store based on a preset decision method from among the rental stores having the stock of the rental article, and the rental decided as the rent source If the store differs from the designated delivery location for the rental item, the rental By executing a delivery instruction process for notifying the store terminal of a delivery instruction of the rental article to the delivery location, whereby the user requests the delivery of the rental article requested by the user for lending. It is characterized by lending at a place.

[0026]

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

In the rental system of the present invention, rental mediation is performed between a rental company providing a rental service and a user who receives the rental. The rental target (rental goods) is video, CD, DVD,
It is not necessary to specifically limit the object such as a book, a car, a bicycle, and the like, and in the present specification, the object of rental is simply referred to as “product”.

In the rental system of the present invention, the processing of a rental contract from the user, such as specifying a rental order and a receiving place, and the processing of changing the contract, such as extending the rental period, are performed from the user terminal of the user. Via a network. Here, the rental system according to the present invention is characterized in that a rental order from a user includes designation of a receiving place, and the rental agent moves the requested product to the designated place. . As a result, the products for which the user requests lending,
The user rents it at the place where the user requests the delivery.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a rental system according to the first embodiment of the present invention. In the rental system according to the present embodiment, a user terminal 10 of a user, a shop terminal 40 of a rental company that provides a rental service, and a rental server 30 that mediates a rental service are connected via a network 20.

First, an outline of the processing of the rental system according to the present embodiment will be described.

The user connects to the rental server 30 using the user terminal 10 and refers to a list of products that can be rented. Then, the rental request information indicating the product to be borrowed and the place to receive the product is sent to the network
0 to the rental server 30.

Upon receiving the rental request information, the rental server 30 sends out rental product information such as the rental price of the product to the user terminal 10. Upon receiving the rental product information, the user terminal 10 displays the rental product information on the screen, and determines whether or not the user actually looks at the rental product information.

When renting a product, the user notifies the rental server 30 of the rental from the user terminal 10. Upon receiving this notification, the rental server 30 sends the rental contract identification information to the user terminal 10.
The rental contract identification information and the rental product information are sent to the store terminal 40 where the user goes to receive the product.

Here, the rental company, which is the lender, moves the product to be lent to the user, if necessary, to a place designated by the user. When the product arrives at the place designated by the user, the store terminal 40 notifies the rental server 30 that the product can be rented. Upon receiving this notification, the rental server 30 notifies the user terminal 10 that the product can be rented. Upon receiving the notification, the user can go to a place designated by the user and receive a rental.

When the user wants to change the contents of the rental contract, such as extending the rental period, the user terminal 1
Using 0, the rental product information indicating the content to be updated is transmitted to the rental server 30. Rental server 30
Will receive the updated rental product information,
It is determined whether or not the update is permitted. If the update is permitted, the updated rental product information is sent to the store terminal 40.

When the time limit for returning the rented product is approaching, the rental server 30 sends return request information to the user terminal 10 of the user to urge the return. Upon receiving the return request information, the user pays attention to the return period and returns to the designated location before the return period.

Next, a detailed configuration of each part of the rental system according to the present embodiment will be described.

The user terminal 10 is a terminal for each user to receive a rental service, and may be an information terminal such as a personal computer or a portable information processing terminal such as a mobile phone or a PDA.

The user terminal 10 accesses and displays on the screen rental service information, which is information relating to the rental service disclosed by the rental server 30 to the network 20, and information on a list of rentable products. For rental. These functions can be realized by providing, for example, an Internet web browser.

The rental service information can be configured to include, for example, the contact information of the lender, the location (address) of the store, the contact information (telephone number, e-mail address), and information on products that can be rented. The product information is, for example, information on a rental video and a rental compact disc, and can be configured to include a product number, a product name, a rental price per unit time, and the like.

When the user wants to rent the displayed product, the user uses the user terminal 10 to send rental request information indicating that the user wants to rent the product to the rental server 30 via the network 20. Send.
This rental request information can be configured to include information such as the product number of the product, the desired rental period, and the designation of the store where the product is to be delivered.

Then, rental product information indicating information for a rental contract of the product is returned from the rental server 30, and the user terminal 10 displays this on the screen.
The rental product information can include, for example, a product number of a rentable product, a rental period, a rental price, and the like.

The user sees the rental product information displayed on the screen of the user terminal 10 and determines whether or not to actually rent, and transmits the determination result from the user terminal 10 to the rental server 30.

When it is determined that the rental contract is to be made and the fact is transmitted, rental contract identification information indicating that the rental contract has been concluded is received from the rental server 30. The rental contract identification information includes a rental contract number for uniquely identifying the rental contract, and the user terminal 10 displays this on the screen.

When the rental server prepares the product to be rented, the rental server 30 sends a notification that the rental is available, and receives and displays the notification.

When the user wants to extend the rental period, the user changes a part of the rental product information transmitted from the rental server 30 and changes the user terminal 1.
From 0, a request to change the contract is transmitted to the rental server 30. Then, the user terminal 10 receives, from the rental server 30, a result indicating whether the renewal of the rental contract has been permitted and displays the result.

When the return period of the rented product is approaching, the user terminal 10 sends the rental server 30
Receives return request information for prompting return and displays it on the screen.

The rental server 3 of the user terminal 10
For example, when the rental server 30 is provided with a function of an Internet web server, and a rental service website is established, the user terminal 10 is provided with a web browser to transmit / receive data to and from the website. You can get information for rental by connecting. In the website, the user terminal 10
Thus, a web page including various objects for executing a selection process from a list, a number input process, and the like can be configured using various scripts and CGI.
Further, the return request information or the like may be received using an electronic mail or the like.

[0049] The rental server 30 is provided according to the present embodiment.
It is a server device that manages the processing of the rental system,
It is managed by the company that operates the rental system. As the rental server, an information processing device such as a workstation or a server can be used.

The rental server 30 has a stock table 31 which is a table for recording information on the current stock of products in each rental store, and the user terminal 10 of the user.
A request receiving unit 32 for receiving a lending request or a request for renewal of a rental contract from a store, a store determining unit 33 for determining a store from which a product is to be lent, and a case where the rental store of the rent source is different from the delivery location specified by the user. A delivery instruction unit 3 for notifying the store terminal 40 of the rental store of a delivery instruction.
4 is provided.

A rental store having a product requested by the user for rental is retrieved from the stock table 31. If there are a plurality of rental stores, the store deciding unit 33 actually rents the rental store. A process for determining a store is performed. The store determining unit 33 of the present embodiment notifies the user terminal 10 of the user of the rental store list data having the stock of the requested product, and the user selects the rental store from the list data from the list data. The designation is accepted, and the rental store designated by the user is determined as a lending source. Here, as a process for accepting the selection of the rental store by the user, for example, in the form of opening an Internet website,
The store determination unit 33 generates a web page that displays a list of rental stores having the requested product inventory, and causes the web browser of the user terminal 10 to display the web page. In this web page, an object for returning a notice of the rental shop selected by the user from the user terminal 10 to the server side is displayed by using an HTML sentence or various scripts, and by using a CGI or the like on the server side. The notification can be received.

When the rental server 30 receives an access from the user terminal 10 via the network 20 by a user's operation, the rental server 30 sends out rental service information indicating the contents of the rental service to be provided. Then, it receives the rental request information transmitted from the user terminal 10, creates rental product information based on the information, and sends the created rental product information to the user terminal 10.

The rental server 30 receives from the user terminal 10 the result of the determination as to whether or not to rent, and if rented, rents rental contract identification information including a contract number and the like to the user terminal 10. The contract identification information and the rental product information are sent to the store terminal 40 of the store that delivers the product.

The rental server 30 is connected to the shop terminal 4
From 0, when the notification that the product has arrived at the delivery destination is received, the user terminal 10 is notified that the product to be rented to the user is ready.

The rental server 30 is connected to the shop terminal 4
From 0, the rental start notification is received when the product is lent, and the rental end notification is received when the product is returned. Also, the rental server 30
It receives the rental contract identification information transmitted from the user terminal 10 or the store terminal 40 and sends out rental product information corresponding to the contract.

When the user desires to change the rental contract such as updating the rental period, the rental server 30 receives the updated rental product information from the user terminal 10 and determines whether or not the update can be permitted. I do. This determination can be made by, for example, registering beforehand the designation of whether or not to extend the period by the rental company that rents the product, and making a determination based on the registration. If the update cannot be performed, the user terminal 10 is notified of the rejection of the update. If the update is permitted, the registered rental product information is updated, and the updated rental product information is transmitted to the user terminal 1.
0 or to the store terminal 40.

The rental server 30 sends return request information to the user terminal 10 when the end of the rental period of the rented product is approaching.

The rental server 30 has a function of a web server of the Internet, for example, and can communicate with the user terminal 10 and the shop terminal 40 by, for example, establishing a website for a rental service.

The store terminal 40 is a terminal provided in a rental company or its rental store, and may be an information processing terminal such as a personal computer or a workstation, or a portable information processing terminal such as a mobile phone.

The store terminal 40 receives the rental product information and the rental product information sent from the rental server 30 and displays them. Conversely, it notifies the rental server 30 of the arrival of the product, the start of the rental, and the end of the rental.

Next, the operation of one embodiment in which the network 20 according to the present embodiment is the Internet will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In the present embodiment, the rental server 30 opens a website for providing a rental service on the Internet, and accepts access from the user terminal 10 or the store terminal 40. In addition, a sales office of a company that operates the rental system of the present embodiment is hereinafter referred to as a rental center.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart for explaining the lending process according to the present embodiment, and shows a flow from when a user requests rental of a product to when the user receives the product.

Referring to FIG. 2, first, a user accesses a rental service website established by rental server 30 on the Internet using his or her own user terminal 10 and displays the website (step 201). ). In response, the rental server 30 transmits rental service information indicating the contents of the rental service to the user terminal 10 (step 20).
2).

Then, the rental service information having the contents as shown in FIG. 5 is displayed on the screen of the user terminal 10 (step 203).

The rental service information is, for example, information including a store address, a telephone number, and a list of products that can be rented, which are candidates for a product delivery location. In the example of FIG. 5, a rental center name 51, a telephone number 52 as a contact information of the rental center, an e-mail address 53 as a contact information of the rental center, a list 54 of stores to rent, and a list 55 of products to rent. It is included. In the example of FIG.
Includes the address 54 of the store where the product is to be delivered.
-1, the store telephone number 54-2 is included, and the product information list 55 includes product identification information 55-1, such as a product number, a product name 55-2, and a rental price of the product per unit time. The rental unit price 55-3 is included.

The user refers to the rental service information displayed on the user terminal 10 and creates rental request information as shown in FIG. 6 to notify a product to be rented (step 204). .

The rental request information is, for example, information including the address of the user, the name of the product for which rental is desired, the period for which rental is desired, and the like. In the example of FIG. 6, the user name 6
1. User's address 62, user's contact phone number 63, user's contact email address 64,
It contains the address 65 of the store where the user wants to deliver the product, the telephone number 66 of the store, and a list 67 of products that the user wants to rent. In the example of FIG. 6, the list 67 of products that the user wants to rent includes product identification information 67-1, such as a product number, a product name 67-2, and a period 67-3 for which the user wants to rent. .

The created rental request information is transmitted from the user terminal 10 to the rental server 30 (step 205). The rental server 30 creates rental product information as shown in FIG. 7 based on the received rental request information to notify information for renting each product (step 207).

The rental product information is, for example, information including information such as a store address, a rental period, and a rental price. In the example of FIG. 7, the user name 71 and the user address 7
2. User's telephone number 73, user's e-mail address 74, product list information 75, rental center name 7
6, an e-mail address 77 of the rental center, an address 78 of a store where the product is to be delivered, and a telephone number 79 of the store. In the example of FIG. 7, the product list information 75 includes, for each product, product identification information 75-1, product name 75-2, product rental period 75-3, product rental unit price 75-4, Each rental period 75-3
And a rental price 75-5 calculated based on the rental unit price 75-4, and further includes information on a total of 75-6 of the rental prices of all the products to be rented.

The created rental product information is transmitted from the rental server 30 to the user terminal 10 (step 208). The user terminal 10 displays the received rental product information on the screen (Step 209). The user looks at the displayed rental product information, determines whether or not to rent, and transmits the determination result (step 210). If it is transmitted that the rental is not performed, the operations of the user terminal 10 and the rental server 30 end (steps 211 and 212).

If the rental server 30 receives a notice to rent, the rental server 30 transmits the rental contract identification information as shown in the example of FIG. The product is transmitted to the store terminal 40 of the rental store having the product (step 213).

The user terminal 10 displays the received rental contract identification information on the screen (step 214). The shop terminal 40 receives the rental contract identification information (Step 215). The rental contract identification information is, for example, information including a rental contract number 81 uniquely assigned to each contract. In the example of FIG. 8, the rental contract number 81 is a number for each rental contract uniquely assigned to each rental application.

The rental server 30 transmits the rental product information to the store terminal following the rental contract identification information (step 216), and arranges the delivery to the store at the delivery location designated by the user of the product (step 216). 21
7).

When the rented product reaches the store at the delivery location, the store clerk uses the store terminal 40 to notify the rental server 30 that the product has been delivered (step 2).
19). Upon receiving the notification that the product has arrived at the store, the rental server 30 transmits to the user terminal 10 of the user that the rental is possible (step 220).

The user receives at the user terminal 10 that the rental is possible (step 221) and goes to the store to receive the product (step 222).

When the product is given to the user, the store terminal 40
The rental server 30 is notified that the rental has started (step 224).

FIG. 3 is a flowchart for explaining a rental contract change process according to the present embodiment, and shows, for example, a process for extending a rental period of a product being rented by a user.

Referring to FIG. 3, for example, when the user desires to change the rental period, the rental contract identification information is transmitted to the rental server via the user terminal 10 (step 301). The rental contract identification information is shown in FIG.
This is the rental contract number 81 as shown in FIG. This information has been received in step 214 of the lending process in FIG.

When the rental server 30 receives the rental contract identification information (step 302), the rental server 30 executes the processing shown in FIG.
Is fetched from a database or the like and sent to the user terminal 10 (step 30).
3).

The user terminal 10 displays the received rental product information on the screen (Step 304). The user
The rental product information displayed on the screen updates the information desired to be changed, for example, the rental period to a longer period (step 305). The user terminal 10 transmits the updated rental product information to the rental server 30 according to the instruction of the user who has finished updating (step 306).

The rental server 30 receives the rental product information (step 307) and determines whether the user can permit the desired update (step 308). When the update is not permitted, the fact that the update is not permitted is transmitted to the user terminal 10. When the update is permitted, the rental server 30 updates the rental product information such as recalculating the rental price and sends the updated rental product information (FIG. 7) to the user terminal 10 and the shop terminal 40 (step 31).
2).

When the update is not permitted, the user terminal 10 ends the processing. When the update is permitted, the received updated rental product information is displayed on the screen (step 313), and the process ends. The shop terminal 40 receives the transmitted rental product information (step 314), and ends the processing.

Here, the method of determining whether or not the renewal is possible in step 308 is performed by, for example, using data such as whether or not the rental period can be extended for each rental store (or for each product) and the number of days for which the extension is permitted. The determination can be automatically processed by setting the rental server 30 in advance and referring to the data.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart for explaining the return processing of the present embodiment.

Referring to FIG. 4, when the return date is approaching or when prompting the user to return, the rental server 30 sends the user terminal 10 the return request information as shown in FIG. It is sent (step 401).

The return request information is information transmitted to prompt the user to return the rented product, and includes, for example, rental contract identification information and information including the name of the product to be returned. . In the example of FIG. 9, the user name 91, rental contract identification information 92, information 93 on the product being rented, the rental center name 94, the rental center telephone number 95, the rental center e-mail address 96, and the store address 97 , The store's telephone number 98. In the example of FIG. 9, the information 93 of the product being rented includes product identification information 93-1, a product name 93-2, and a rental period 93-3.

The user terminal 10 displays the received return request information on the screen (Step 402). The user who sees the displayed return request information goes to the store and returns the rented product (step 403).

When the store clerk returns the product, the store clerk notifies the rental server 30 of the rental end using the store terminal 40 (steps 404 and 405).

As described above, according to the rental system of the present embodiment, it is possible to rent a video, a CD, or the like, for which a user requests lending, at a place where the user requests delivery.

Next, another embodiment of the present invention will be described.

In the second embodiment of the present invention, the notification that the rental to the user terminal 10 is enabled in step 220 in FIG. 2 is sent directly to the store terminal in step 219 without going through the rental server 30. 40 notifies. Therefore, according to the present embodiment, step 220 of FIG. 2 in the lending process of the first embodiment can be omitted.

[0092] In the third embodiment of the present invention, the lender delivers and collects the product instead of delivering or picking up the product when the user goes to the store. In the first embodiment, a method of designating one of the rental shops as the delivery location of the product has been adopted. However, in the present embodiment, the home address of each user can be freely designated. The designated place is the delivery place. For this reason, in the first embodiment, the rental company delivers the product only between the rental shops, but in the present embodiment, the rental company delivers the product to the address specified by each user. Collect again. In this way, a convenient service is provided to the user. In the present embodiment, the store terminal 40
May be used as a portable information processing terminal carried by a lender's delivery member and collection member.

In the fourth embodiment of the present invention, the determination of the rental store of the lending source by the store determination section 33 is automatically processed without requiring the user to make a selection. This is because, for example, among the rental shops including the product requested to be rented, the store determining unit 33 automatically determines the rental shop closest to the designated delivery location of the product, and determines this as the rent source. A method such as determining as is possible.

Note that the rental system according to each of the above-described embodiments includes an inventory table 31 in the rental server 30,
In addition to realizing the functions of the request receiving unit 32, the store determining unit 33, the delivery instruction unit 34, and other functions in hardware, the rental management program having each function is loaded into the memory of the computer processing device. It can be realized by doing. This computer program includes a magnetic disk, a semiconductor memory, and other recording medium 39.
Is stored in Then, the functions are loaded from the recording medium 39 to the computer processing device and control the operation of the computer processing device to realize the above-described functions.

Although the present invention has been described with reference to the preferred embodiments and examples, the present invention is not necessarily limited to the above-described embodiments and examples, and various modifications may be made within the scope of the technical idea. Modifications can be made.

[0096]

As described above, according to the rental system of the present invention, the following effects can be achieved.

First, the user can check the rentable stock and the rental fee without going to the rental store directly. Further, it is possible to easily check and compare stocks and rental prices of a plurality of rental stores and a plurality of rental companies.

Second, the user can freely designate a store to receive rental videos, CDs, and the like.

Thirdly, even if the user wants to rent the item, the user can know that the item has been returned and can be rented without going directly to the rental shop. In the past, when many customers wanted to rent, users had to go to rental stores repeatedly to get rented.
By using the rental system of the present invention, even in such a case, the user does not need to go to a rental store wastefully.

Fourth, the user can carry out procedures such as extension of the rental period without going to the rental store directly.

Fifth, it is possible to eliminate the necessity of providing a rental agent with a large number of clerks for explanations to users and responses to inquiries.

Sixth, the need to display a large amount of inventory in a rental store is eliminated, and the store can be made smaller.
In particular, in the case of direct delivery to the user's address etc.,
There is no need to have a store.

Seventh, when a plurality of rental shops are managed, the necessity of stocking each rental shop is eliminated.
The rental company does not need to have a large amount of expensive inventory, and can realize efficient management.

Eighth, if the return from the user is overdue, the prompt for return can be automatically processed.

[Brief description of the drawings]

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

FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating a lending process according to the first embodiment of this invention.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a rental contract change process according to the first embodiment of this invention.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a return process according to the first embodiment of this invention.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of a data configuration of rental service information according to the first embodiment of this invention.

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of a data configuration of rental desired information according to the first embodiment of this invention.

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an example of a data configuration of rental product information according to the first embodiment of this invention.

FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating an example of a data configuration of rental contract identification information according to the first embodiment of this invention.

FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating an example of a data configuration of return request information according to the first embodiment of this invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 User terminal 20 Network 30 Rental server 31 Inventory table 32 Request receiving part 33 Store deciding part 34 Delivery instruction part 39 Recording medium 40 Store terminal

Claims (22)

[Claims] 1. A rental system that manages lending of rental goods to a user by using a store terminal provided at each rental store and a user terminal of each user via a communication network, wherein: Request receiving means for receiving a lending request, including data specifying the rental item and data specifying a delivery location of the rental item, transmitted from the user terminal; and in the rental store having a stock of the rental item. From, a store determining means for determining the rental store of the rent source based on a preset determination method, if the rental store determined as the rent source is different from the designated delivery location of the rental article,
By providing delivery instruction means for notifying the store terminal of the rental store of an instruction for delivery of the rental article to the delivery location, the user can transfer the rental article requested to be rented by the user. A rental system characterized by lending at a requested location. 2. A rental table comprising a stock table indicating a current stock of the rental articles provided in each of the rental shops, wherein the shop determining means comprises the rental articles to which a rental request from the user terminal has been transmitted. Means for searching for a store from the inventory table; means for notifying the user terminal of the user of list data of the rental store having the stock of the rental article; and selection of the user from the list data A notification specifying the rental shop from which the rental article is lent,
2. The rental shop, comprising: means for accepting from the user terminal of the user, the rental shop having the rental article selected by the user is determined as a rental shop from which the rental article is lent. Rental system described in. 3. The request receiving unit receives, from a user terminal of the user, a store selected by the user among the rental stores as designation of a delivery location of the rental article, and the delivery instruction unit includes: The rental system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein each of the shop terminals is instructed to deliver the rental article between the rental shops. 4. A table in which an address of each of the users who desires to deliver the rental article is registered, wherein the request receiving unit receives the rental request transmitted from the user terminal, and receives the rental request. 3. The data of an address that is registered and desired to be delivered by the user is referred to, and the address that is registered and desired to be delivered is set as a delivery place of the rental item. 4. Rental system. 5. The request receiving unit receives, from the user terminal, a request to extend a rental period of the rental article rented by the user, and determines whether or not the request is possible based on a preset determination method. If it is determined that the extension of the rental period is permitted, the information of the rental contract of the rental article is updated, and the information of the rental contract is updated in the store terminal of the rental store that lent the rental article. The rental system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the rental system is notified. 6. The user periodically refers to information on the rental period of the rental article being rented, and when the end of the rental period is approaching or when the return is delayed, the user's The rental system according to any one of claims 1 to 5, further comprising means for notifying the user terminal 10 of return request information for prompting a return. 7. The rental system according to claim 1, wherein the communication network is the Internet. 8. A rental server, which is a server device that manages lending of rental articles to said users using a store terminal provided in each rental shop and a user terminal of each user via a communication network, Request receiving means for receiving a rental request, including data specifying the rental item and data specifying a delivery location of the rental item, transmitted from the user terminal of the user; and From among the rental stores, a store determining means for determining a rental store of a lending source based on a preset determination method, and the rental store determined as a lending source is a designated delivery location of the rental article. If different
By providing delivery instruction means for notifying the store terminal of the rental store of an instruction for delivery of the rental article to the delivery location, the user can transfer the rental article requested to be rented by the user. A rental server for lending at a requested location. 9. A rental table comprising a stock table indicating a current stock of the rental articles provided in each of the rental shops, wherein the shop determining means comprises the rental articles to which a rental request from the user terminal has been transmitted. Means for searching for a store from the inventory table; means for notifying the user terminal of the user of list data of the rental store having the stock of the rental article; and selection of the user from the list data A notification specifying the rental shop from which the rental article is lent,
9. The rental shop provided with the rental article selected by the user, comprising: means for accepting the rental article from the user terminal of the user, and determining the rental shop as a rental shop from which the rental article is lent. Rental server described in. 10. The request receiving unit receives a store selected by a user from among the rental stores from a user terminal of the user as designation of a delivery location of the rental article, 10. The rental server according to claim 8, wherein each of the shop terminals is instructed to deliver the rental article between the rental shops. 11. A table in which an address of each of the users who desires to deliver the rental article is registered, wherein the request receiving unit receives the rental request transmitted from the user terminal, and receives the rental request. 10. The data of an address which is registered in advance and which is desired to be delivered by the user, and the pre-registered address which is desired to be delivered is set as a delivery place of the rental article. Rental server. 12. The rental server according to claim 8, wherein the communication network is the Internet. 13. A rental management method for managing rental of rental articles to a user using a shop terminal provided at each rental shop and a user terminal of each user via a communication network, wherein: Request receiving step for receiving a rental request, including data specifying the rental item and data specifying a delivery location of the rental item, transmitted from the user terminal of the rental terminal; From among them, a store determination step of determining a rental store of a lending source based on a preset determination method, and a case where the rental store determined as a lending source is different from the designated delivery location of the rental article. ,
By providing a delivery instruction step of notifying the store terminal of the rental store of an instruction to deliver the rental article to the delivery location, the user can transfer the rental article requested to be rented by the user. A rental management method characterized by lending at a requested location. 14. The store determining step may include the step of determining whether the rental shop having the rental article to which the rental request has been transmitted from the user terminal is provided in each of the rental shops from a stock table indicating a current stock of the rental article. Searching, a step of notifying the user terminal of the user of the list data of the rental store having the stock of the rental article, a lending source of the rental article selected by the user from the list data Notification of specifying the rental store of
The method according to claim 13, further comprising a step of receiving the rental item from the user terminal of the user, and determining the rental store having the rental item selected by the user as a rental store from which the rental item is lent. Rental management method described in. 15. The request receiving step receives, from the user terminal of the user, a store selected by the user among the rental stores as designation of a delivery place of the rental article, and the delivery instruction step includes: The rental management method according to claim 13 or 14, wherein each of the shop terminals is instructed to deliver the rental article between the rental shops. 16. A method according to claim 16, further comprising the step of referring to a table in which an address of each of said users who desires to deliver said rental article is registered, wherein said request receiving step is performed when said rental request transmitted from said user terminal is received. 14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the user refers to data of an address which is registered in advance and which is desired to be delivered, and the pre-registered address which is desired to be delivered is set as a delivery place of the rental article. Item 14
Rental management method described in. 17. The communication system according to claim 13, wherein the communication network is the Internet.
The rental management method described in any one of the above. 18. Rental management for managing rental of rental articles to the user by controlling a computer using a store terminal provided in each rental shop and a user terminal of each user via a communication network. In the program, a request reception process for receiving a lending request, including data specifying the rental item and data specifying a delivery location of the rental item, transmitted from the user terminal of each user, From the rental stores having stock, a store determination process of determining a rental store of a lending source based on a preset determination method, and the rental store determined as a lending source is designated by the designated of the rental article. If the delivery location differs from
By causing the store terminal of the rental store to execute a delivery instruction process of notifying an instruction of delivery of the rental article to the delivery location, the user can transfer the rental article requested by the user for rental. Rental management program characterized by lending at a place requiring 19. The store determining process, wherein the rental store including the rental item to which the rental request from the user terminal is transmitted is obtained from a stock table indicating a current stock of the rental item included in each of the rental stores. A process of searching; a process of notifying the user terminal of the user of the list data of the rental store having the stock of the rental article; a rental source of the rental article selected by the user from the list data Notification of specifying the rental store of
By executing a process accepted from the user terminal of the user, the rental shop provided with the rental article selected by the user is determined as a rental shop of a rental source of the rental article. The rental management program according to claim 18. 20. In the request receiving process, a process of receiving a store selected by a user from among the rental stores from a user terminal of the user as designation of a delivery location of the rental article is executed, and 20. The rental management program according to claim 18, wherein in the instruction processing, a process of instructing each of the shop terminals to deliver the rental article between the rental shops is executed. 21. A process for referring to a table in which an address of each of the users who desires to deliver the rental article is registered. In the request receiving process, the rental request transmitted from the user terminal is received. In this case, the user refers to data of a pre-registered desired delivery address, and performs a process of setting the pre-registered desired delivery address as a delivery location of the rental article. Claim 1
A rental management program according to claim 8 or claim 19. 22. The communication system according to claim 18, wherein said communication network is the Internet.
Rental management program according to any one of the above.