JP2002302258A - Cargo delivery system and cargo delivery method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide cargo delivery system and cargo delivery method capable of efficiently and surely delivering cargo at one time to a delivery destination without requiring re-delivery. SOLUTION: This cargo delivery system comprises an address obtaining means 48 for obtaining an electronic mail address of cargo delivery destination from a slip of the cargo to be delivered; a transmitting means 411 for transmitting the electronic mail to the electronic mail address of the obtained delivery destination; a desired time obtaining means 412 for obtaining a delivery time of the cargo desired by the delivery destination 6; and delivery means 8 for delivering the cargo to the delivery destination 6 at the desired time obtained.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a package delivery system and a package delivery method, and more particularly to a package delivery system and a package delivery method in the delivery of goods using electronic commerce.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art With the spread of the Internet in recent years, electronic commerce using the Internet and the like is rapidly developing. In such electronic commerce, a seller needs to deliver (deliver) a product to a purchaser. Therefore, with the development of e-commerce, it is thought that physical distribution will increase more than before.

[0003]

However, due to changes in lifestyle such as an increase in the number of co-earning households and an increase in single-person households, the occupancy rate of delivery destinations has been reduced to about 45%. If the delivery destination of the goods (baggage) is absent, it is necessary to redeliver the baggage, but the time and economic loss of the redelivery due to the waiting time of the driver who delivers the baggage is large. The cost for this redelivery is said to account for about 20-30% of the total.

[0004] Further, when the number of opportunities for a delivery vehicle to enter a residential area by re-delivery increases, the risk of a traffic accident caused by the delivery vehicle also increases. Furthermore, diesel vehicles are often used as delivery vehicles, but there are also problems such as air pollution and noise caused by exhaust gas from such delivery vehicles. In particular, it is conceivable that nighttime delivery will increase due to a change in lifestyle, and the problem of nighttime noise will be significant.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of such conventional problems, and eliminates the need for re-delivery, and enables efficient delivery of a package to a delivery destination in a single delivery. It is an object of the present invention to provide a delivery system and a method for delivering packages.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to solve such a conventional problem, the present invention provides an address acquiring means for acquiring an electronic mail address of a delivery destination of a package to be delivered from a slip of the package to be delivered; Before delivery of the package, the delivery destination e-mail address obtained by the address
Transmission means for transmitting an e-mail indicating the presence of the package via a network, and desired time acquisition means for acquiring the delivery time of the package desired by the delivery destination via the network. It is a package delivery system. In this case, it is preferable to provide a delivery means for delivering the package to the delivery destination at the desired delivery time acquired by the desired time acquisition means.

[0007] Thus, the package is reliably delivered to the delivery destination by one delivery to any delivery destination without being affected by the lifestyle of the delivery destination. Therefore, the need for redelivery is eliminated, and the cost required for redelivery can be reduced. Further, since the need for re-delivery is eliminated, it is possible to reduce the risk of a traffic accident caused by a delivery vehicle, air pollution caused by exhaust gas, and noise.

[0008] Further, if a company close to the area of the delivery destination, such as a liquor store or a milk store, makes such a delivery, existing facilities and resources can be used effectively. A company that is close to such a region is familiar with the region and has strong ties with local people. In particular, in cash on delivery in e-commerce and the like, since the delivery destination is acquainted with these traders, money can be exchanged with peace of mind, and e-commerce can be activated.

[0009]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of a package delivery system and a package delivery method according to the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to FIGS. FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram illustrating a configuration of a package delivery system according to the present embodiment, and FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating a procedure of a package delivery method according to the embodiment.

First, the line company 1 collects luggage (goods) from a shipper 2, for example, a seller in electronic commerce (step 1). The luggage collected by the route provider 1 is transported to the area of the delivery destination 6 via the air route 10 or the land route 11 (step 2). And, the luggage is from the line company 1 to the local delivery company 3
Is handed over together with the package slip (step 3). A slip number, a delivery address, a name, an e-mail address, a shipper's address, a name, and the like are preliminarily entered in this slip.

Here, the local delivery company 3 has an inquiry server 4 described below. The inquiry server 4 is connected to the Internet 5 via a communication device (not shown) such as a router.

FIG. 3 shows an inquiry server 4 in the present embodiment.
FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating a hardware configuration of the embodiment. Inquiry server 4
Is composed of a general network server computer, a personal computer, and the like. As shown in FIG. 3, a central processing unit (CPU) 41, an input device 42 such as a keyboard and a mouse, and a display device 43 such as a display. ROM 44, RAM 45, hard disk 46, and communication interface 47 as storage devices,
Address acquisition means 48 for acquiring an electronic mail address of the delivery destination of the package from the slip of the package to be delivered. The connection to the Internet 5 and the transmission and reception of data to and from the client terminal 7 described later are performed by the communication interface 47.

The hardware configuration shown in FIG. 3 is an example, and the present invention is not limited to the illustrated configuration. The inquiry server 4 only needs to have a function of connecting to the Internet 5 and communicating with the client terminal 7.
The input device 42 and the display device 43 described above are not essential elements.

In the storage devices 44 to 46 of the inquiry server 4,
A computer program code for giving instructions to the CPU 41 and the like in cooperation with an OS (Operating System) and performing predetermined processing is stored. This computer program is executed by being loaded into the RAM 45. This computer program includes a program started in response to a request from the client terminal 7,
For example, a CGI (Common Gateway Interface) program 461 is included, which cooperates with the CPU 41 to acquire the delivery time desired by the transmission means 411 for transmitting an e-mail to the e-mail address of the delivery destination and the delivery destination 6 Each unit such as a desired time acquisition unit 412 (the details of which will be described later) is configured, and various processes are performed.

Further, the computer program includes:
A program 462 for functioning as a Web server is also included, whereby the inquiry server 4 functions as a Web server. Note that these functions may be realized by one computer, or may be realized by cooperating a plurality of computers.

Further, the storage device 46 of the inquiry server 4 has
HTML describing information to be provided to the client terminal 7
(Hyper Text Markup Language) file 463 is also stored, and the HTML file 463 or the HTML created by the CGI program 461 is stored.
The code forms a Web page such as an inquiry page described later. That is, when there is a request to acquire information from the client terminal 7, these HTML files 463 or HTML codes are
And the information described in the HTML file or HTML code is displayed in a browser window or the like of the client terminal 7.

Further, the address obtaining means 4 of the inquiry server 4
Reference numeral 8 denotes a reading device such as a scanner (not shown) and an OCR
(Optical Character Reader) and the like, and a character recognition device (not shown) for performing character recognition.

The client terminal 7 in the present embodiment
Is composed of, for example, a general personal computer, an Internet-compatible mobile phone, an Internet-compatible stationary phone, and the like, which the delivery destination (user) of the package has. The client terminal 7 is, similarly to the inquiry server 4, a central processing unit (CPU),
It is provided with an input device, a display device, a storage device, a communication interface, and the like, and can receive an e-mail via the Internet 5 and browse a Web site on the Internet 5.

The storage device of the client terminal 7 has a CP
A computer program code for giving instructions to U and the like and performing predetermined processing is stored. This computer program is executed by being loaded into the RAM, and performs processing in cooperation with the CPU. The computer program includes a program (browser or the like) for browsing a Web site, and a user provides information by making a request to the Web site to obtain information via the browser or the like. Can receive.

Here, the regional delivery company 3 which has received the slip together with the package inputs the slip into the inquiry server 4 (step 4). When the slip is input to the inquiry server 4,
The slip is read by the reading device of the address acquisition means 48. Then, the character recognizing device of the address obtaining means 48 recognizes and obtains the electronic mail address of the delivery destination (and the slip number, the delivery destination address, the name, the shipper's address, the name) from the read data (step 5). ). The acquired e-mail address and the like are stored in the database 464 stored in the hard disk 46.

Next, the transmitting means 411 of the inquiry server 4
An e-mail notifying the presence of the package is transmitted to the obtained e-mail address (step 6). The text of this e-mail contains U
RL (Uniform Resource Locator) is included.

The client terminal 7 receives the above e-mail, whereby the user can know that there is a package addressed to him / her. Then, the user accesses the URL contained in the text of the e-mail using the client terminal 7. As a result, the acquisition of the predetermined HTML file 463 stored in the inquiry server 4 is requested (step 7), and the inquiry server 4 retrieves the HTML file 463 from the HTML file 463 stored in the hard disk 46 of the inquiry server 4. The corresponding HTML file (HTML file forming the inquiry page described below) 463 is returned to the client terminal 7 (step 8).

The client terminal 7 receives the HTML file, and an inquiry page P1 shown in FIG. 4 is displayed on a browser window or the like of the client terminal 7 (step 9). As shown in FIG. 4, this inquiry page P1 includes a predetermined message, a field F11 for inputting a desired delivery time of the package, a button B11 for transmitting the input value to the inquiry server 4, and a field F11. A button B12 for clearing the value.

The user uses the input device of the client terminal 7 to input a desired delivery time into the field F11 (Step 10). Then, the user presses button B11.
When the button is clicked, a request is transmitted to the inquiry server 4 (step 11). A link to the URL corresponding to the program 461 in the inquiry server 4 is set in the button B11, and the program 461 is started in the inquiry server 4 receiving the request (step 12). The desired delivery time input in the field F11 of the inquiry page P1 is added as an argument to the URL, and
The program is passed to the program 461.

When the program 461 is started, the argument added to the requested URL is obtained by the desired time obtaining means 412 (step 13). That is, the value of the field F11 (desired delivery time) in the inquiry page P1 described above is acquired as an argument. The obtained desired delivery time is stored in the database 464 in the inquiry server 4.
(Step 14). Thereafter, a predetermined HTML code is output to the client terminal 7 to inform the user that registration of the desired delivery time has been completed (step 15).

Next, the desired delivery time stored in the database 464 is output to an output device (not shown) such as a printer or a display device 43 such as a display connected to the inquiry server 4 (for example). Step 16). The local delivery company 3 that has seen the output desired delivery time outputs the delivery destination 6
Deliver the package by the delivery means 8 such as truck or motorcycle at the desired delivery time (step 17). As a result, the package can be reliably delivered to the delivery destination 6 in one delivery, and the need for redelivery is eliminated.

Although one embodiment of the present invention has been described, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and may be implemented in various forms within the scope of the technical idea. Needless to say. For example,
In the above-described embodiment, the route agent 1 is used up to the delivery destination 6 area.
Has transported the package, but one trader may perform the process from the collection of the package to the delivery to the delivery destination 6.

The hardware configuration of the inquiry server 4 is an example, and the same function may be realized by using other hardware. For example, the above-mentioned address acquisition means 48 may be constituted by a barcode reader or the like instead of a scanner. Also, in the present embodiment, a description has been given of a luggage delivery system using the Internet, but the present invention is not limited to this, and any network may be used as long as communication is possible between the client terminal and the inquiry server. It may be.

The structure of the inquiry page P1 is as follows.
The present invention is not limited to the illustrated one, and various modifications are possible. For example, an example has been described in which a field is used to input the desired delivery time, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the desired delivery time may be selected from a predetermined list.

[0030]

As described above, according to the present invention, a package can be reliably delivered to a delivery destination in one delivery to any delivery destination without being affected by the lifestyle of the delivery destination. Becomes Therefore, the need for redelivery is eliminated, and the cost required for redelivery can be reduced. Further, since the need for re-delivery is eliminated, it is possible to reduce the risk of a traffic accident caused by a delivery vehicle, air pollution caused by exhaust gas, and noise.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram illustrating a configuration of a package delivery system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating a procedure of a package delivery method according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating a hardware configuration of an inquiry server according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of an inquiry page displayed on a client terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Route dealer 2 Shipper 3 Regional delivery company 4 Inquiry server 5 Internet 6 Delivery destination 7 Client terminal 8 Delivery means 41 CPU 42 Input device 43 Display device 44 ROM 45 RAM 46 Hard disk 47 Communication interface 48 Address acquisition means 411 Transmission means 412 Request Time acquisition means

Claims (3)

[Claims] An address acquiring means for acquiring an electronic mail address of a delivery destination of the package from a slip of the package to be delivered, and an electronic mail address of the delivery destination acquired by the address acquiring means before the delivery of the package. Transmission means for transmitting, via a network, an e-mail notifying of the presence of the package, and desired time acquisition means for acquiring, via the network, the delivery time of the package desired by the delivery destination. Luggage delivery system. 2. The package delivery system according to claim 1, further comprising a delivery unit that delivers the package to the delivery destination at the desired delivery time acquired by the desired time acquisition unit. 3. An electronic mail address of a delivery destination of the package is acquired from a slip of the package to be delivered, and before the delivery of the package, the electronic mail address of the acquired delivery destination is notified of the presence of the package. Sending an e-mail via the network, obtaining the delivery time of the package desired by the delivery destination via the network, and delivering the package to the delivery destination at the obtained desired delivery time. How to deliver your luggage.