JP2002373300A - System and method for managing lend - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To commit storage of stock of objects for lend to the user's side by continuously storing an article currently being rent at a rent destination until the next lend reservation to the article appears even when lend period to the merchandise passes. SOLUTION: A lend management center 1 discriminates whether or not the next lend reservation is made to a rental article currently being rented which is stored in a lend data base by referring to a reservation data base. Consequently, when the next lend reservation does not exist, the lend management center 1 informs a user terminal 6 on its lend destination of a continuous storage request of the rental article by e-mail even after passage of lend period to the rental article currently being lend.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a lending management system for managing lending of a lending item, a program, a system, and a lending management method.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In general, rental business forms include, for example, a mail order system in which a customer selects a product from a catalog and makes a telephone application, and the rental product is delivered using a truck service. There is a store system where employees go directly to select products and rent them on the spot.
In this case, the store method requires the customer to go to the rental shop and carry out the procedure even when renting or returning the product, so the transportation cost and labor cost are lower than the mail order method, and as a result, video and CD etc. However, even relatively low-priced products can be targeted for rental.

[0003]

However, in the store system, the customers to be rented are limited to the vicinity of the store, and the number of products handled depends on the store area. On the other hand, in the mail-order system, the range of customers can be broadly expanded, and the number of products handled can be increased compared to the store system. Expenses and labor costs will increase.

An object of the first invention is that even if a lending period for a currently lending item has expired, the lending item is kept at the lender until the next lending reservation for the lending item appears. By doing so, it is possible to provide a new lending management method capable of entrusting the stock keeping of lending items to the user side. An object of the second invention is that when a lending item that is currently being rented is returned, the lending item can be directly delivered to the user of the next lending reservation without returning the lending item to the lending source. To provide a new lending management system.

[0005] The means of the present invention are as follows. An invention according to claim 1 (first invention) is a lending management system for managing lending of a lending item, comprising: a reservation information storage means for storing and managing the reservation information corresponding to a reservation user who wants to lend; A lending information storage means for storing and managing the lending information corresponding to the lending destination user currently lending, and a next lending reservation for the lending lending currently stored in the lending information storage means. A determination unit that determines whether there is a reservation by referring to the reservation information storage unit. If the determination unit determines that the next lending reservation does not exist, the lending to the lending item currently lending is performed. A storage request notifying means for notifying the lending destination user of a request to continue storage of the lending material even after the period has elapsed. Therefore, according to the first aspect of the present invention, even if the lending period for the currently lending item has passed, the lending item is continued to the lender until the next lending reservation for the lending item appears. The storage of the rented items can be entrusted to the user by storing the items, so it is not necessary to return the items to the renting source. At the renting source, the cost of the warehouse and the labor cost should be significantly reduced. In addition, the lending destination user is allowed to continue using the lending item even after the lending period has elapsed, so that the rental product can be used at a low cost for a long period of time. .

Further, a program for realizing the main functions described in the first aspect of the present invention is provided to a computer (the sixth aspect of the present invention). A loan management method for performing a process according to the main procedure shown in the invention is provided (the invention according to claim 7).

[0007] The invention described in claim 1 may be as follows. With reference to the lending information storage means,
A lending monitoring unit is provided for each lending user to monitor whether there is a lending item whose lending period has expired or is about to expire, and the lending monitoring unit detects that the lending item is present. When the determination unit determines that the next lending reservation does not exist, the storage request notification unit notifies the lending destination user of a subsequent storage request for the lending material ( The invention according to claim 2). Therefore, according to the second aspect of the invention, in addition to having the same effect as the first aspect of the invention, the storage request notified to the lending destination user is not after the elapse of the lending period, Since the expiration or expiration can be performed, the user can receive a storage request notification at an appropriate time.

[0008] When it is determined by the determination means that there is a next lending reservation, a collection arrangement for instructing that the lending material should be received from the lending user currently lending is performed, and the lending is received from the lending user. Arrangement instructing means is provided for performing a delivery arrangement for instructing that the lending material should be delivered to the user of the reservation (the invention according to claim 3). Therefore, according to the third aspect of the present invention, in addition to having the same effect as the first aspect of the present invention, the lending item currently being lent can be rented out only by arranging the collection and delivery of the lending item. Delivery from the destination user to the user for the next reservation is possible.

[0009] After the storage request notifying means notifies the storage request of the lending material, when the next reservation for the lending material is received, the return time of the lending material is determined based on the lending date of the next reservation. Then, a return notifying means for notifying the rent destination user of the return time is provided (return notification means). Therefore, according to the invention described in claim 4, in addition to having the same effect as the invention described in claim 1, the lending destination user who keeps the lending material even after the lending period elapses, Can be returned, and preparations for return can be made by then.

Return information receiving means for receiving return information reporting that the lending item has been received from the lending destination user;
A lending information receiving means for receiving lending information reporting that the lending material has been delivered to the next reserved user, and returning information received by the receiving means, the lending status of the lending material based on the lending information. Manage (the invention according to claim 5). Therefore, according to the invention of claim 5, in addition to having the same effects as the invention of claim 1, collection from the borrower user and delivery to the next reservation user are performed without returning to the lender. For example, even if it is entrusted to an affiliated courier, the work report can be received from the affiliated courier, so that the lending status of the borrowed material can be accurately grasped.

[0011] When the lending item currently lent is returned from the lending destination user, the arrangement instructing means reads out the user destination information corresponding to the next lending reservation with reference to the reservation information storage means, A delivery arrangement is made to instruct that the destination label on which the destination information of the reservation user is printed should be attached to the rental item (the invention according to claim 9). Therefore, according to the ninth aspect of the present invention, in addition to having the same effect as the first aspect of the present invention, the clerk who has received the lending item currently lent from the lending destination user sets the destination of the next reservation user. Since you can print the label and attach the destination label (tag) on the spot on the spot,
The delivery to the next reserved user can be reliably performed, and the delivery operation does not need to be performed, thereby simplifying the delivery operation.

[0012] The arrangement instructing means determines a return time of the lending item based on the lending date of the next reservation, creates return arrangement information in which the return time is associated with a destination of the lending user, and By creating delivery arrangement information that associates the destination of the next reserved user with the lending time of the lending item, instructs that the lending item should be collected from the lending destination user based on the content of the return arrangement information. At the same time, it instructs that the rental item should be delivered to the next reserved user based on the contents of the delivery arrangement information (claim 1).
0). Therefore, according to the tenth aspect of the invention, in addition to having the same effect as the first aspect of the invention, for example, the affiliated delivery company accesses the return arrangement information and the delivery arrangement information, or By transmitting the return arrangement information and the delivery arrangement information to the partner delivery company, the affiliated delivery company can determine exactly when and where to receive the lending material and when and where to deliver the received lending material. Therefore, it is possible to reliably perform the collection work and the delivery work.

[0013] The invention according to claim 8 (second invention) is as follows.
A lending management system for managing lending of a lending item, comprising: reservation information storage means for storing and managing reservation information corresponding to a reservation user who desires lending; and lending information corresponding to a lending destination user currently lending. A lending information storage means for storing and managing the lending information, and a lending item currently lent stored in the lending information storage means is returned from the lending destination user,
A device comprising arrangement instruction means for reading out the user address information of the next lending reservation for the lending item with reference to the reservation information storage unit and making a delivery arrangement for instructing that the lending item should be delivered to the reservation user. It is. Therefore, in the invention according to claim 8, when the lending material currently rented is returned, the lending material is directly delivered to the user of the next lending reservation without returning to the lending source. It is possible to greatly reduce the delivery time, delivery distance and delivery cost of the rented goods, and at the lending source, it is possible to greatly reduce warehouse costs and personnel costs etc. .

[0014] Further, the present invention provides a computer with a program for realizing the main functions of the invention described in claim 8 (the invention described in claim 11).
There is provided a lending management method for performing a process according to the main procedure shown in the invention described in claim 7 (the invention described in claim 12).

The invention described in claim 8 may be as follows. When the lending item currently lent is returned from the lending destination user, the arrangement instructing unit refers to the reservation information storage unit and reads out user destination information corresponding to the next lending reservation. A delivery instruction is provided to instruct the user to attach a destination label on which the destination information is printed to the rental item.
Described invention). Therefore, according to the ninth aspect of the present invention, in addition to having the same effect as the eighth aspect of the present invention, the clerk who has received the currently lending item from the lending destination user sets the destination of the next reservation user. Since the label can be printed and the destination label (tag) can be attached to the lending item on the spot, the delivery to the next reserved user can be reliably performed, and the delivery slip is not issued. It is also possible to simplify the delivery business.

The arrangement instructing means determines a return time of the lending item based on the lending date of the next reservation, and creates return arrangement information in which the return time is associated with the address of the lending user. By creating delivery arrangement information that associates the destination of the next reserved user with the lending time of the lending item, instructs that the lending item should be collected from the lending destination user based on the content of the return arrangement information. At the same time, it instructs that the rental item should be delivered to the next reserved user based on the contents of the delivery arrangement information (claim 1).
0). Therefore, according to the invention described in claim 11, in addition to having the same effect as the invention described in claim 8, for example, the affiliated delivery company accesses the return arrangement information and the delivery arrangement information, or By transmitting the return arrangement information and the delivery arrangement information to the partner delivery company, the affiliated delivery company can determine exactly when and where to receive the lending material and when and where to deliver the received lending material. Therefore, it is possible to reliably perform the collection work and the delivery work.

[0017]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the overall configuration of the lending management system according to this embodiment. In this rental management system, a rental company lends various rental products (leisure goods, strollers, videos, CDs, etc.) to member users according to a rental system using the Internet (a non-store rental system), and returns the products. This is a rental management system that manages and manages a series of operations such as billing for rentals.By developing such rental services on a nationwide scale, a wide area communication system that can be used by anyone using the Internet is To build.

A company (rental company side) that performs such a rental service is provided with a lending management center 1 and a new merchandise storage center 2, which are connected to a network via a dedicated cable, for example. ing. A delivery center 4 is connected to the lending management center 1 via a wide area network (Internet) 3 and each staff terminal on the side of the delivery center 4 via a wide area network (Internet, mobile communication network) 3. 5 is connected, and a user terminal 6 of each member user is connected. Note that, in the figure, the broken line indicates the delivery status of the rental product (flow of the product).

The lending management center 1 is a computer system for operating and managing the entire lending management system, and stores and manages various databases described later. The new merchandise storage center 2 is a warehouse for storing a group of new merchandise that has never been lent to the user, a computer device for storing and managing merchandise information corresponding to various new merchandise, and a lending lending new merchandise. It has a label printing device for printing a label of the destination (name, address, etc.) of the destination user and issuing a destination label (tag).

The delivery center 4 is affiliated with a rental company,
This is a computer device of a delivery company (affiliated courier company) in charge of collection and delivery of goods, and prints a delivery arrangement list and a return arrangement list, which will be described later, by periodically accessing the lending management center 1. It has a list printing device for it. By presenting the contents of the delivery arrangement list and the return arrangement list to the person in charge, the person in charge of collection and delivery of the rental product is in charge of the operation. I try to carry out. The attendant terminal 5 is a mobile information processing apparatus, and has a label printing function for printing a label of a destination of a user who rents a rental product and issuing a destination label (tag).

Here, the person in charge of the delivery center 4 goes to the lending destination where the rental product is currently lent and performs the work of collecting the rental product. Is received, the collection management unit 1 reports the collection to the lending management center 1, and the collected rental products are brought back to the distribution center 4. In this case, when the lending management center 1 receives this collection notice,
The next lending reservation user is specified, and an instruction is given to the clerk terminal (return clerk terminal) 5 to print a label of the destination. When delivering the rental product on which the destination label is printed to the reservation user, the person in charge goes to the destination and rents out the rental product. At that time, a clerk terminal (delivery clerk terminal) When the user goes out with possession of the product 5 and delivers the product, the lending management center 1 is notified of the delivery of the rental product to the user.

In this case, the rental product is generally collected at the expiration of the lending period. In this embodiment, even if the lending period of the currently rented rental product has passed, the next lending reservation is made. Until it appears, the current lending user does not need to return the rental product, and allows the lending user to continue using the rental product. In other words, even after the lending period has passed, the inventory storage is entrusted to the user side by obligating the lender to keep the rental product until the next lending reservation for the rental product appears. Like that. Therefore, if the next lending reservation for the product is continuous at the end of the current lending period, that is, if the day after the expiration date is the lending date of the next reservation, When the lending date of the next reservation is distant, for example, one week later, the collection work is performed when the lending of the reservation is near (the day before). I'm trying to do it.

The user terminal 6 is a desktop computer, a mobile information processor, a mobile phone, or the like. Here, the lending management center 1 accepts a lending reservation of a rental product from the user terminal (lending user terminal) 6 and registers the reservation on condition that the user is a member user who has performed a membership procedure. If there is no next lending reservation for the product immediately before the expiration of the current lending period, the lending management center 1 requests the lending user to continue storing the product even after the elapse of the lending period. When the next lending reservation is made after that, the rental terminal is notified to the user terminal (returning user terminal) 6 which keeps storing the commodity after the lending period. A return notification that specifies the time at which to return is required.

In this embodiment, for example,
Transmission and reception of digitized (packetized) data between the lending management center 1, the new merchandise storage center 2, the delivery center 4, the staff terminal 5, and the user terminal 6 by the HTTP protocol using the TCP / IP communication protocol. In addition, data processing is performed in cooperation with each other while recognizing mutually necessary processing contents based on data including coded control information. In addition,
The lending management center 1 has a database server function, Web
It has various server functions such as a server function and a mail server function, and the clerk terminal 5 and the user terminal 6 have a Web browser function.

FIGS. 2A and 2B show various databases provided on the lending management center 1 side. FIG. 2A shows a user database (DB) 11, and FIG.
2, (C) shows the contents of one record of the lending database 13. The user database 11 stores and manages user information registered as a member.
D "," user address ", and" mail address ". “User ID” is user identification information assigned to each member at the time of member registration. "User address"
Indicates a user's name, address, and postal code, and "mail address" is an e-mail address for calling the user terminal 6.

The reservation database 12 stores and manages information on lending reservations for rental products requested by member users, and includes "product ID", "reservation lending date", "reservation return date", and "user ID". , “User destination”, and “lending completion flag”. The “product ID” is identification information of a rental product for which a lending reservation has been made, “reservation lending date” and “reservation return date” specify a lending period, “lending date” is a lending start date, and “lending date”. The "return date" indicates the loan expiration date. The “lending completion flag” is a flag indicating that the rental product has been delivered to the user. In addition, "product ID", "reservation lending date", "reservation return date",
The “user ID” is information set according to the contents of the reservation contract from the user at the time of lending reservation, while the “lending completion flag” is information set after delivering the rental product to the user.

The lending database 13 stores and manages lending information of rental products currently being rented for each product, and includes a "product ID", a "lending date", a "return date", a "user ID", a "return flag". ". The “return flag” is a flag indicating that the rental product has been collected from the user. The “merchandise ID”, “rental date”, “return date”, and “user ID” are information in which the contents of the corresponding reservation database 12 are set as they are, while “return flag” indicates that the user This information is set when the product is collected.

FIGS. 3A and 3B show other databases provided on the lending management center 1 side. FIG. 3A shows a return arrangement database 14, and FIG. 3B shows a delivery arrangement database 1.
5 shows the contents of one record. The return arrangement database 14 stores and manages, by product, return information indicating when to collect the currently rented rental product by product. Each of the “product ID”, “scheduled return date”, and “return user address” Have items. The “scheduled return date” indicates by what time the rental product should be collected. In this embodiment, when there is a next reservation for the rental product, the day before the reserved rental date is set to the “scheduled return date”. " The “return user address” indicates the name, address, and the like of the user who is the collection destination of the rental product.

In this case, when the lending management center 1 accepts the user of the next lending reservation for the rental product that is continuously stored on the rent destination user side even after the rental product lending period has expired, the lending management center 1 proceeds to the next step. By determining the return time of the rental product based on the lending date of the reservation, creating return arrangement information in which the return time is associated with the address of the rent destination user, and registering the return arrangement information in the return arrangement database 14, Arrangement information for instructing the distribution center 4 that the rental product should be collected from the borrower user is managed.

The delivery arrangement database 15 stores and manages, for each product, delivery information for renting the next product when the rental product currently being rented is received or when a rental reservation for a new product is received. It has items of “product ID”, “scheduled delivery date”, and “delivery user address”.
"Scheduled delivery date" indicates the "reserved lending date" in the corresponding reservation database 12, and "delivery user address" indicates the name, address, and the like of the user to whom the rental product is delivered. In this case, the lending management center 1 creates the delivery arrangement information in which the destination of the rental reservation user and the rental date of the rental product are associated with each other, and registers the delivery arrangement database 15 to distribute the rental product to the reservation user. Arrangement information for instructing the delivery center 4 on what to do is managed.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the overall configuration of the lending management center 1. The CPU 101 is a central processing unit that controls the overall operation of the lending management center 1 according to an operating system and various application software in the storage device 2. The storage device 102 stores an operating system, various application software, and the like, and has a recording medium 103 composed of a magnetic, optical, semiconductor memory, or the like, and a drive system therefor. The recording medium 103 is a fixed medium such as a hard disk or a portable medium such as a CD-ROM, a floppy desk, a RAM card, and a magnetic card which can be detachably mounted. The programs and data in the recording medium 103 are loaded into a RAM (for example, a static RAM) 104 under the control of the CPU 101 as needed, or the data in the RAM 104 is saved in the recording medium 103. Further, the recording medium may be provided on an external device side such as a server, and the CPU 101 can directly access and use the program / data in the recording medium via the transmission control unit 105.

The CPU 101 can also take in some or all of the data stored in the recording medium 103 from another device via the transmission control unit 105 and newly register or additionally register the data in the recording medium 103. Further, the program / data may be stored and managed by an external device such as a server.
The program / data on the external device side can be directly accessed and used via the external device 05. On the other hand, the CPU 101
The transmission control unit 105 which is the input / output peripheral device,
An input unit 106 and a display unit 107 are connected via a bus line.
1 controls their operation.

Next, the operation algorithm of the lending management system in this embodiment will be described with reference to the flowcharts shown in FIGS. Here, the functions described in these flowcharts are stored in the form of readable program codes, and sequentially execute operations according to the program codes. Further, the operation according to the above-described program code transmitted via the transmission medium can be sequentially performed. That is, an operation specific to this embodiment can be executed using a program / data externally supplied via a transmission medium in addition to a recording medium.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the operation when the user terminal 6 accesses the lending Web page on the lending management center 1 side. First, when the lending Web page is accessed by the user terminal 6, the lending management center 1 creates a list page showing the current lending / reservation status for each lending target product, and sends the requesting user terminal 6
(Step A1). The list of lending / reservation status for each product is created based on the contents of the reservation database 12 and the lending database 13. That is, “reservation lending date” and “reservation return date” are extracted for each product from the reservation database 12 to obtain a reservation lending period,
Also, from the lending database 13, "lending date" for each product,
The “return date” is extracted to obtain the current lending period, and a lending / reservation status list for each product is created.

FIG. 10 (A) shows the lending / listening by list product.
An example of a reservation status list, with its vertical axis (row direction)
Is associated with the product name, and the horizontal axis (in the column direction) is a list content in a table format associated with the date data. Each cell item in the column direction in the table is assigned loaning data (hatched portion on the left in the figure) indicating the lending period corresponding to the currently lending product, and reserves the lending. The reservation data indicating the reserved lending period (hatched portion obliquely to the right) is assigned to a certain product.

After transmitting such a product-specific lending / reservation status list, the lending management center 1 transmits a reservation application page to the requesting user terminal 6 (step A2). In this case, the user terminal 6 refers to the lending / reservation status list, selects and designates a desired product, and enters "user ID", "lending date", and "return date" in the reservation application page. Reply. Then, the loan management center 1
Receives the “merchandise ID”, “rental date”, “return date”, and “user ID” (step A3) and registers them in the reservation database 12 (step A4). In this case, based on the received “user ID”, the user database 11
, The corresponding “user destination” is acquired and registered in the reservation database 12.

Then, it is determined whether the rental product applied by the user is the first rental product, that is, whether a new product that has never been lent has been applied for lending (step A5). In this case, the determination is made based on whether the product exists in the lending database 13, and when a new product is applied for lending, the lending management center 1
Arranges that the rental merchandise corresponding to the “merchandise ID” should be prepared for delivery to the new merchandise storage center 2 (step A6). That is, the new product storage center 2 acquires the “product ID”, “rental date”, “return date”, and “user destination”, which are the contents of the current reservation, from the reservation database 12.
, The information of “merchandise ID”, “rental date”, “return date”, and “user address” is transmitted, and it is instructed that these should be label printed.

In this case, on the new merchandise storage center 2 side, information such as “rental date”, “return date”, and “user destination” is printed as a label to create a destination label. FIG.
(B) is a diagram showing the print content of the destination label. The destination label includes item data of “product ID”, “product name”, “user destination”, “rental date”, and “return date”. Is printed. After that, the person in charge of the new product storage center 2
A new product corresponding to the “product ID” is taken out of the warehouse, and a destination label on which information of “lending date”, “return date”, and “user destination” is printed is attached to the new product, and the delivery center 4 is contacted. Request for delivery. Then, the lending management center 1 creates a delivery arrangement record in which the new product, the destination of the lending reservation user, and the lending date are associated with each other, and registers the delivery arrangement database 15 (step A7).

On the other hand, if the currently reserved product is not a new product (step A5), that is, if the reservation of the currently rented product is received, the rental database 1
Referring to FIG. 3, the “return date” corresponding to the lent product is compared with the current date, and it is checked whether or not the product corresponds to a product in a non-lending period in which the lending period has expired (step A).
8). That is, it is determined whether or not the current lending destination user is a lending product in a non-lending period in which the lending period expires after the lending period of the lending period. In this case, if the product is being lent during the effective lending period in which the lending period has not expired, the process exits from this flow. A return notification that specifies the return time of the A (Step A9, A1
0).

That is, the lending management center 1 obtains the “reserved lending date” corresponding to the user who has been reserved for lending this time from the reservation database 12, and subtracts “1” from the “reserved lending date” to change the date to “1”. (Scheduled return date) (step A9). That is, the day before the next reserved lending date is calculated as the “scheduled return date”. Then, the “user address” and the “mail address” of the lending destination that currently lends the currently reserved lending product are stored in the user database 11.
And sends a return notification to the rented-out user by e-mail to the rented-out user indicating that the stored product should be returned by the "scheduled return date" (step A10). And return target product, expected return date, lending destination user address (return user address)
Is created and registered in the return arrangement database 14 (step A11).

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a routine process periodically started by the lending management center 1.
First, the lending management center 1 accesses the contents of the lending database 13 one record at a time, and compares the “return date” in the record with the current date, so that the “return date” corresponds to the next day. Is extracted (step B1), and the presence or absence of the corresponding record is determined (step B1).
2). As a result, if there is no corresponding record, the routine processing is terminated. If there is, the process proceeds to step B3, and after acquiring the “product ID” from the record, the reservation database is obtained based on the acquired “product ID”. 12 to check whether there is a next lending reservation (step B4).
In other words, immediately before the expiration of the lending period of the currently lent product, it is checked whether the next lending reservation is made for the product.

Immediately before the expiration of the lending period of the currently lent product, if there is no next lending reservation for the product (step B4), the “user destination” and the “mail” of the currently lent lending destination The address is acquired from the user database 11, and a notification of a return hold (storage request) is transmitted to the lending destination user by mail (step B5). In other words, a storage request is sent to the current lending destination user by requesting storage of the product even after the expiration of the lending period, in other words, a return hold indicating that the merchandise does not need to be returned at the end of the lending period is transmitted by mail.

On the other hand, if there is a next lending reservation (step B)
4) The “reservation lending date” corresponding to the next reservation user is obtained from the reservation database 12 and the “reservation lending date” is subtracted by 1 to calculate the day before the next reservation lending date as the “scheduled return date”. (Step B6). And
The “user address” and “mail address” of the current lending destination are acquired from the user database 11, and a return notification is sent to the lending user to inform that the stored product should be returned by the “scheduled return date”. At the same time as sending an e-mail (step B7), a return arrangement record in which the product, the expected return date and the lending user address (return user address) are associated with each other is created and registered in the return arrangement database 14 (step B).
8). When the processing for one record is completed in this way, it is determined whether there is another product in the reservation database 12 (step B9). If there is, the process returns to step B3, and the above operation is repeated.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a routine process for periodically accessing the lending management center 1 on the delivery center 4 side. First, the delivery center 4 is the lending management center 1
By accessing the contents of the delivery arrangement database 15 on a record-by-record basis and comparing the "scheduled delivery date" in the record with the current date, a delivery arrangement record having the "scheduled delivery date" corresponding to the next day is extracted. At the same time (step C1), a delivery arrangement list is printed based on the extracted records (step C2).

Similarly, the delivery center 4 accesses the contents of the return arrangement database 14 of the lending management center 1 one record at a time, and compares the “scheduled return date” in the record with the current date. A return arrangement record corresponding to the "scheduled return date" corresponding to the next day is extracted (step C3), and a return arrangement list is printed based on the extracted record (step C4). Based on the delivery arrangement list and the return arrangement list obtained in this way, the clerk is responsible for the collection and delivery of rental products, and at that time, each clerk carries out the clerk terminal 5 and carries out the business. I do.

FIG. 8 shows a return check process of the lending management center 1 which is started in response to an access from the clerk terminal 5 when a staff in charge of the delivery center 4 receives a rented product. It is a flowchart shown. Here, the clerk in charge of the delivery center 4 refers to the above-described return arrangement list, directly goes to the lending destination for the currently rented product, and performs the work of collecting the product. Transmits to the lending management center 1 the fact that the collection has been completed, together with the “merchandise ID” of the collected returned merchandise.

When the lending management center 1 receives the “merchandise ID” corresponding to the returned merchandise from the attendant terminal 5 (step D 1), the lending management center 1 searches the reservation database 12 based on the “merchandise ID”, Is read, but if there are a plurality of reservation records corresponding to the "product ID", the next reservation record in which the next day of the current date is the "reservation lending date" is read (step D2). Then, item data of "user destination", "reservation lending date", and "reservation return date" are extracted from the next reservation record, and these item data are transmitted to the attendant terminal 5 together with a label print command (step D3).

In this case, the attendant terminal 5 performs a printing process for printing the label of the “user address”, “reservation lending date”, and “reservation return date” of the next reservation user transmitted from the lending management center 1. Therefore, the attendant attaches the destination label to the returned merchandise and takes it back to the distribution center 4.
The lending management center 1 creates a delivery arrangement record based on the next reservation record corresponding to the returned product and registers it in the delivery arrangement database 15 (step D).
4), the "return flag" in the lending database 13 corresponding to the product is set (step D5).

FIG. 9 shows a delivery check on the lending management center 1 which is started in response to an access from the clerk terminal 5 when a clerk in charge of the delivery center 4 delivers a product to a user of a lending reservation. It is a flowchart showing a process. Here, the staff in charge of the delivery center 4 refers to the above-mentioned delivery arrangement list or the destination label attached to the product to be delivered, and goes directly to the user of the next lending reservation, and At the time, the clerk terminal 5 displays the "product ID" of the delivered product,
The completion of the delivery is transmitted to the lending management center 1.

Then, when the lending management center 1 receives the “product ID” corresponding to the delivery product from the attendant terminal 5 (step E1), the lending management center 1 searches the reservation database 12 based on the “product ID”, and Is read out, but if there are a plurality of reservation records corresponding to "product ID", the next reservation record whose current date is "reservation lending date" is read out (step E2). And
A lending record is created based on the reservation record (step E3), and the lending record is registered in the lending database 13 (step E4). Further, the “lending completion flag” in the reservation record corresponding to the product ID is set (step E5).

As described above, in this embodiment, the lending management center 1 refers to the reservation database 12 to determine whether there is a next lending reservation for the currently rented rental item stored in the lending database 13. If there is no next lending reservation, the lending destination user is notified of a request to continue storage of the rental product even after the lending period for the currently lending rental product has elapsed. Therefore, even if the lending period for the currently rented product has expired, the product can be kept in stock by the lending party until the next lending reservation for the product appears, so that the user can keep inventory of the product. It is possible to leave it to the side.

FIG. 11 is a diagram for explaining the storage location of a product waiting for a lending order (non-lending product) in comparison between the lending management system in this embodiment and the conventional lending management system. That is, in a non-lending period in which the rental company is in a waiting state (idle state) until there is a lending order, the rental company conventionally stores the product during that period. Even after the lending period has expired, once the item has been lent to the lending party until the next lending reservation for that item appears, the item is lent to the loan management center. 1 (rental company) will not be returned.

As described above, even if the lending period for the currently rented product has expired, the lending party keeps storing the product until the next lending reservation for the product appears. It is not necessary to return to the lending management center 1, and in the lending management center 1, it is possible to greatly reduce warehouse costs, personnel costs, and the like, and
On the lending management center 1 side, warehouse management of commodities becomes unnecessary at all except for new commodities, so that it is also possible to expand unlimitedly the commodities handled by lending. On the other hand, since the lending destination user is allowed to continue using the product even after the lapse of the lending period, the rental user can also use the rental product at low cost for a long period of time.
In this case, the storage request to be notified to the lending user can be made after the expiration or near expiration of the lending period, not after the expiration of the lending period. Becomes possible. Furthermore, the lending management center 1 can manage from the receipt of a lending reservation to the lending of a product without any human intervention.

When it is determined that there is a next lending reservation, the lending management center 1 performs a collection arrangement for instructing that the lending user currently lending should receive the merchandise. Delivery arrangements instructing that the goods received from the user should be delivered to the user of the reservation have been made, so by simply making arrangements for collection and delivery of the goods, the goods currently lent to the lending destination user Can be delivered to the user for the next reservation.

When the lending management center 1 receives the next reservation for the product after notifying the lending destination user of the product storage request, the lending management center 1 returns the product based on the lending date of the next reservation. Since the time is determined and this lending time is notified to the lending user, the lending user storing the product even after the lapse of the lending period has to determine by what time the lending material should be returned. You will be able to know and be ready to return.

The lending management center 1 can perform data communication with the clerk terminal 5 on the delivery center 4 side, receives return information indicating that the merchandise has been received from the lending destination user, and transmits the merchandise to the lending management center 1 next. When the rental information indicating that the delivery has been made to the reservation user is received, registration in the delivery arrangement database 15 and registration in the rental database 13 are performed based on the received return information and the rental information, and the lending status of the product is performed. Therefore, even if the collection from the borrower user and the delivery to the next reserved user are entrusted to the delivery center 4 which is a partner, without returning to the lending management center 1, the affiliated home delivery is not required. Since the work report can be received from the trader side, it is possible to accurately grasp the lending status of the product.

When the clerk at the delivery center 4 receives the merchandise from the borrower user, the lending management center 1 refers to the reservation database 12 in response to the access from the clerk terminal 5 and performs the next lending reservation. The clerk terminal 5 reads the corresponding user destination information and informs the destination terminal that the destination information of the reserved user is to be printed with a label to the product.
The clerk who received the currently rented product can attach the destination label of the next reservation user to the product on the spot because the delivery arrangement of the contents instructed to Can be surely performed, and it is not necessary to go through a procedure for issuing a delivery slip, and the delivery business can be simplified.

The lending management center 1 determines the return time of the product based on the lending date of the next reservation, creates return arrangement information in which the return time is associated with the address of the lending destination user, and creates the return reservation information. Delivery arrangement information in which the destination of the user and the lending time of the lending item are associated with each other is created and registered in the corresponding return arrangement database 14 and delivery arrangement database 15, so that the delivery center 4 periodically lends the lending item. By accessing the return arrangement database 14 and the delivery arrangement database 15 on the management center 1 side, a return arrangement list and a delivery arrangement list can be obtained, and when and where to receive the goods, and when and where to receive the goods. Since it is possible to accurately know whether or not the delivery should be performed, it is possible to reliably perform the collection work and the delivery work.

On the other hand, when the currently rented product is returned from the lending destination user, the lending management center 1 refers to the reservation database 12 to read out the user destination information of the next lending reservation for the product, and Since the delivery arrangement for instructing that the product should be delivered to the reservation user is performed, the product is sent to the user of the next lending reservation without returning to the lending management center 1 which is the lending source. Since direct delivery is possible, the delivery time, delivery distance, and delivery cost of the product can be significantly reduced, and for the lender, the warehouse and labor costs, etc., should be significantly reduced. Can be.

In the above-described embodiment, the collection work of the rental product and the delivery work are collectively entrusted to the delivery center 4 which is an affiliated courier service. Alternatively, the delivery of rental products may be entrusted to affiliated stores such as convenience stores. In this case, the convenience store or the like has established its own product delivery network (truck service) for delivering the product between the affiliated stores, and outsources the delivery of the rental product using this delivery network. It may be. Then, when the lending destination user returns the merchandise, when the user brings the merchandise to the nearest convenience store, the terminal at the convenience store sends a collection notice indicating that the merchandise has been received to the lending management center 1 and performs lending management. In the center 1, the destination information of the next reservation user is searched, and the destination information may be transmitted to a terminal on the convenience store side to instruct label printing, for example. In this case, the clerk attaches an address label on which the address of the next reservation user is printed to the returned product and hands it to the delivery person,
The delivery person delivers the product to the next reserved user. Furthermore, the user who brought the returned merchandise to the affiliated store may pay the rental fee using a store window such as a convenience store. In this way, if the lending user brings the product directly to the affiliated store and performs the delivery procedure, it is possible to collect the rental product and carry out the delivery work at one time and also settle the settlement at the same time It becomes.

In the above-described embodiment, even if the lending period for the currently rented product has passed, the lending destination is required to keep the product continually stored until the next lending reservation for the product appears. Although it was made mandatory for the previous user, if a storage request is made after the lending period, a fee system that discounts the initial lending fee charged to that user according to the storage period is adopted, or a coupon ticket etc. May be provided. That is,
The rental expenses that should be borne by the rental company may be returned to the user.

On the other hand, when the rented product is, for example, a large rental product, depending on the circumstances of the borrowing user,
In some cases, it is difficult to keep the goods after the lapse of the lending period. In such a case, the goods may be collected by an application from the lending user side. in this case,
The user of the next lending reservation may be notified in advance that lending is possible before the lending reservation, and if approval is obtained, arrangements may be made to deliver the goods to the reserving user.
That is, the product reservation may be performed by the next reservation user.

Further, the next time the rental company receives an application for a reservation user, it checks whether the address of the reservation user and the address of the rent destination user who currently lends the product are close in distance. However, if the users are in the neighborhood, the lending user or the next reserved user is notified so that the lending user goes to the next reserved user's home, or conversely, the next reserved user By going to the lending user's home, or by having the users contact each other by telephone or e-mail communication and await, the merchandise can be directly handed between the users. If the products are directly transferred between the users as described above, the rental company does not need to bear any collection and delivery costs of the products, and a service for returning the costs to the users can be provided.

In the above-described embodiment, the collection of the rental product and the delivery thereof are outsourced to the delivery center 4 which is an affiliated courier service. The destination information of the reservation user may be notified. In other words, a delivery arrangement for instructing that the returned merchandise should be delivered to the next reserved user may be made to the lending user terminal. In this way, when the lending user uses a general courier service at his / her own expense and delivers the product to the next reserved user, the rental company returns the usage fee of the courier service to the renting user, or the original lending The fee may be discounted. In this way, if the rent destination user uses a general courier service to deliver, rental work of the rental product and the delivery work can be performed at once.

In the above-described embodiment, the non-store rental system is applied. However, the same applies to the rental store system.
Of course. In this case, in addition to the store inventory products, a large number of products stored by the user can be handled as rental target products, and the number of products handled can be expanded without limitation, without being limited by the store area. Further, in the above-described embodiment, rental products to be rented for a fee are targeted. However, for example, the present invention can be similarly applied to a case where a public organization provides a service of renting care products, baby products, and the like free of charge.

On the other hand, a computer may be provided with a recording medium (for example, a CD-ROM, a floppy disk, a RAM card, etc.) on which a program code for executing each of the above-described means is recorded.
That is, a recording medium having a program code that can be read by a computer, a function of storing and managing the reservation information corresponding to the reservation user who wants to lend, and the lending information corresponding to the lending destination user currently lending. A function of storing and managing the next lending item, and a function of determining whether or not there is a next lending reservation by referring to the reservation information, and determining that there is no next lending reservation. In this case, a computer that records a program for realizing a function of notifying the lending user of a request to continue storage of the lending item even after the elapse of the lending period for the lending item currently lending is provided. A readable recording medium may be provided.

Further, the present invention is a recording medium having a program code readable by a computer, the function of storing and managing the reservation information corresponding to the reservation user who wants to rent, and the function of storing the reservation information corresponding to the currently rented user. A function of storing and managing the lending information, and when the lending item currently being lent is returned from the lending destination user, the user refers to the reservation information and reads out the user destination information of the next lending reservation for the lending item, A computer-readable recording medium storing a program for realizing a function of performing a delivery arrangement instructing that the lending material should be delivered to the reservation user may be provided.

[0068]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, even if the lending period for the currently lending item has expired, the lending item is provided to the lender until the next lending reservation for the lending item appears. By continuing storage, it is possible to entrust the storage of the rented goods to the user side, so there is no need to return it to the lending source, and at the lending source, warehouse costs and labor costs are greatly reduced. In addition, the lending destination user is allowed to continue using the lending item even after the elapse of the lending period, so that the rental product can be used inexpensively for a long period of time. Have both. According to the second invention, when a currently lending item is returned, the lending item can be directly delivered to a user of the next lending reservation without returning the lending item to the lending source. Therefore, the delivery time, the delivery distance, and the delivery cost of the rented material can be significantly reduced, and the rent source can significantly reduce the warehouse cost, the labor cost, and the like.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the overall configuration of a lending management system.

FIG. 2 shows various databases provided on the lending management center 1 side. FIG. 2A shows a user database (D).
B) 11, (B) are the reservation database 12, (C)
FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the contents of one record of the lending database 13.

3A and 3B show other databases provided on the lending management center 1 side, wherein FIG. 3A shows the contents of one record of the return arrangement database 14 and FIG. 3B shows the contents of one record of the delivery arrangement database 15;

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the overall configuration of the lending management center 1.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an operation when the user terminal 6 accesses a lending Web page on the lending management center 1 side.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a routine process periodically started by the lending management center 1;

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a routine process for periodically accessing the lending management center 1 on the delivery center 4 side.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing a return check process of the lending management center 1 which is started in response to an access from the clerk terminal 5 when a clerk in charge of the delivery center 4 receives a rented product. .

FIG. 9 shows a delivery check process of the lending management center 1 which is started in response to an access from the clerk terminal 5 when a clerk in charge of the delivery center 4 delivers a product to a user of a lending reservation. Flowchart.

FIG. 10A is a diagram illustrating an example of the list of lending / reservation statuses by list product, and FIG. 10B is a diagram illustrating print contents of a destination label.

FIG. 11 is a diagram for explaining a storage location of a product waiting for a lending order (a non-lending product) in comparison between the lending management system according to the embodiment and a conventional lending management system.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Lending management center 2 New merchandise storage center 3 Wide area network 4 Distribution center 5 Staff terminal 6 User terminal 11 User database 12 Reservation database 13 Lending database 14 Return arrangement database 15 Delivery arrangement database 101 CPU 102 Storage device 103 Recording medium 105 Transmission control Department

Claims (12)

[Claims] 1. A lending management system for managing lending of a lending item, comprising a reservation information storage means for storing and managing reservation information corresponding to a reservation user who wants to lend, and a lending destination user currently lending. The lending information storage means for storing and managing the lending information, and the reservation information storage means for determining whether there is a next lending reservation for the currently lending item stored in the lending information storage means. A discriminating means for discriminating by referencing, and when the discriminating means determines that the next lending reservation does not exist, the lending property of the lending material currently being lending continues even after the elapse of the lending period. And a storage request notifying unit for notifying the lending destination user of the storage request of the lending. 2. A lending monitoring means for referring to the lending information storage means and monitoring whether or not there is a lending item whose lending period has expired or is about to expire for each lending destination user. When it is detected that the corresponding lending material is present, and when the determining means determines that the next lending reservation does not exist, the storage request notifying means continues the lending material. The lending management system according to claim 1, wherein the lending destination user is notified of the storage request of the lending destination. 3. When the discriminating means determines that there is a next lending reservation, a collection arrangement for instructing that the lending user currently receiving the lending should receive the lending material is made, and the lending user is provided. 2. The lending management system according to claim 1, further comprising an arrangement instructing means for performing a delivery arrangement for instructing that the lending material received from the company should be delivered to the reservation user. 4. After the storage request notifying means notifies a storage request for a lending item, when a next reservation for the lending item is received, the return time of the lending item is determined based on the lending date of the next reservation. 2. The lending management system according to claim 1, further comprising a return notification means for determining a return time and notifying the lending destination user of the return time. 5. Return information receiving means for receiving return information reporting that a lending item has been received from the lending destination user;
Lending information receiving means for receiving lending information reporting that the lending material has been delivered to the next reserved user, and the return information received by each of the receiving means, the lending status of the lending material based on the lending information 2. The lending management system according to claim 1, wherein 6. A function of storing and managing reservation information corresponding to a reserved user who wants to lend to a computer, a function of storing and managing the lending information corresponding to a currently lending destination user, A function to determine whether there is a next lending reservation for the currently lending item by referring to the reservation information, and, if it is determined that there is no next lending reservation, A program for realizing a function of notifying a lending destination user of a request to continue storage of a lending item even after a lending period of the lending item has passed. 7. A lending management method for managing lending of a lending article, wherein the reservation information is stored and managed in correspondence with a reservation user who wants to lend, and in accordance with a lending destination user currently lending. In the state where the lending information is stored and managed, it is determined by referring to the reservation information whether there is a next lending reservation for the lending currently being lent,
If it is determined that the next lending reservation does not exist, after the elapse of the lending period for the currently lending lending, the lending destination user is notified of a subsequent storage request for the lending lending, A lending management method characterized by doing so. 8. A lending management system for managing lending of a lending item, comprising: a reservation information storage means for storing and managing reservation information corresponding to a reservation user who desires lending; and a lending destination user currently lending. The lending information storage means for storing and managing the lending information, and the lending information storage means which is currently lent and stored in the lending information storage means, when the lending destination user returns the reservation information storage means. Reference, read out the user address information of the next lending reservation for the lending item, and arrange delivery instructing means for instructing that the lending item should be delivered to the reserved user. Lending management system. 9. When the lending material currently lent is returned from the lending destination user, the arrangement instructing means refers to the reservation information storage means and stores user destination information corresponding to the next lending reservation. 9. The delivery method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of: reading out the destination information of the reserved user; Lending management system. 10. The arrangement instructing means determines a return time of the lending item based on the lending date of the next reservation, and creates return arrangement information in which the return time is associated with the address of the lending user. In addition, by creating delivery arrangement information in which the destination of the next reservation user and the lending time of the lending item are associated with each other, the lending item should be collected from the lending destination user based on the content of the return arrangement information. The lending management according to claim 1 or 8, wherein the instruction is made to indicate that the lending material should be delivered to the next reserved user based on the contents of the delivery arrangement information. system. 11. A function of storing and managing reservation information corresponding to a reservation user who wants to lend to a computer.
A function of storing and managing the lending information corresponding to the lending user currently lending, and when the lending material currently lending is returned from the lending user, referring to the reservation information, and A program for realizing a function of reading the user address information of the next lending reservation and performing a delivery arrangement for instructing that the lending material should be delivered to the reservation user. 12. A lending management method for managing lending of a lending item, wherein the reservation information is stored and managed in correspondence with a reservation user who wants to lend, and in accordance with a lending destination user currently lending. In the state where the lending information is stored and managed, when the lending item currently lent is returned from the lending user, the reservation information is referred to, and the user destination information of the next lending reservation for the lending item is referred to. A lending management method, wherein the lending is read and a delivery arrangement for instructing that the lending material should be delivered to the reservation user is performed.