JP2003317012A - Medium rent management system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a medium rent management system which enables even a substitute to receive a medium as an article to be rented out. <P>SOLUTION: A user terminal 10 that a user to rent the medium uses, a medium managing terminal 20 that the administrator of the medium uses, and a counter terminal 30 provided at a counter where the medium is handed over and received are connected through a communication system. When the user sends user identification information on oneself and receiving substitute, medium ordering information, and specified counter information from the user terminal to the medium managing terminal, the medium managing terminal generates and holds user ordering identification information for identifying ordering contents while making them correspond to the user identification information. The medium managing terminal sends the ordering identification information, corresponding to the user identification information, which matches the user identification information sent from the counter terminal to allow renting-out and return processes for the medium. When the user identification information sent from the counter terminal is of the user's, the ordering identification information on a non-return state is sent to the counter terminal. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a video tape, C
The present invention relates to a medium loan management system in which a borrower makes a reservation for borrowing a medium such as D or makes an application for borrowing through a network using a user terminal, and hands over, returns, or demands the medium at a window designated by the borrower.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As an example of this type of prior art, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No.
"Merchandise rental method and merchandise rental system" described in 01-243275 can be mentioned. This technology includes a reservation management computer capable of communicating with other computers connected to a computer network, and the reservation management computer manages the presence or absence of a predetermined product and the return schedule, and at the same time stores product inventory information on the network.
It will be possible to browse by date considering the return schedule.

When a predetermined product is reserved, a product name, a product receiving place, a returning place, a product delivery date and a return date, etc. are designated, and a reservation is made from a home computer to a reservation management computer via a network. The reservation management computer transmits the data of the product exchange certificate,
Print the label that will be attached to the product. The labeled product is delivered to a designated convenience store or the like.

[0004]

In the above-mentioned prior art, it is said that the person who made the reservation and the person who picked up the product are the same person, but when the person who made the reservation cannot go to pick up the item for some reason, , It is not uncommon for multiple bookers to ask the same person to pick them up. For example, there is a case where the borrower does not go out to pick up the item due to an urgent need, or one child who has received a small fee goes to pick up the rental video reserved by the family.

Further, in this type of product lease contract, it is an important issue that the rented product is returned on a fixed date, but the above-mentioned conventional technology does not mention promotion of product return. .

The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and the first purpose thereof is to enable an agent to receive a medium, which is a commodity to be leased. It is to provide a medium loan management system.

A second object of the present invention is to provide a medium lending management system capable of urging the return of a lent-out unreturned medium when receiving a medium.

[0008]

A medium lease management system of the present invention is a user terminal (10 in FIG. 1) used by a user who wants to borrow a medium, and a medium management terminal used by a medium manager. (20 in FIG. 1) and a window terminal (30 in FIG. 1) provided at a window for delivering and receiving a medium are connected by a communication network (100 in FIG. 1) to a medium leasing management system, in which a user operates from a user terminal. When the user identification information of the self and the receiving agent, the medium ordering information, and the designated contact information are transmitted to the medium management terminal, the medium management terminal generates the ordering identification information for identifying the ordering content and uses it as the user identification information. The medium management terminal holds the ordering identification information corresponding to the user identification information that matches the user identification information transmitted from the counter terminal, in association with it. It is characterized in that to perform the rental and return processing of the transmission to the medium to.

When the user identification information transmitted from the counter terminal is that of the borrower, the medium management terminal may transmit the unreturned order identification information to the counter terminal.

Further, when the medium ordering information is being rented out, the medium management terminal generates reservation identification information for identifying the reservation content, instead of the ordering identification information, and holds it in association with the user identification information. Alternatively, when the medium is returned at the counter terminal, a lending availability notification may be given to the user terminal corresponding to the reservation identification information.

In the present invention, first, the user transmits the user identification information of the self and the receiving agent, the medium ordering information and the designated contact information transmitted from the user terminal to the medium management terminal. The medium management terminal generates order identification information for identifying the order content and holds it in association with the user identification information.
Upon reception of the user identification information from the recipient or the returnee of the medium, the window terminal transmits the user identification information to the medium management terminal. The medium management terminal transmits the ordering identification information corresponding to the user identification information that matches the received user identification information to the window terminal. The counter terminal performs the lending or returning process of the medium according to the received order identification information.

As described above, according to the present invention, the user identification information and the order identification information are transmitted to the medium management terminal in advance, and the medium is transferred between the user identification information and the medium presented by the recipient or the returnee. The borrower can specify the receiving agent because the management terminal matches the user identification information held by the management terminal. As a result, the medium can be received at the window at the convenience of the receiving agent regardless of the convenience of the borrower. Even if a receiving agent is designated, the borrower cannot be the recipient.

Further, since all the media corresponding to the user identification information presented by the recipient at the counter can be delivered,
Multiple borrowers can specify the same payee, which simplifies the media transfer work.

Furthermore, since the borrower's principal can be confirmed at the counter by using the recipient's usage identification information, the borrower's principal can be requested to return the unreturned medium, so that the rental turnover ratio of the medium can be increased. .

[0015]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

Referring to FIG. 1, an embodiment of a medium loan management system of the present invention includes a user terminal 10, a medium management terminal 20, a window terminal 30, and the Internet for connecting these terminals to each other. Communication network (hereinafter,
(Hereinafter referred to as “network”) 100.

The user terminal 10 is an information processing device such as a personal computer. The user terminal 10 has a function of accessing the medium information provided by the medium management terminal 20 on the network 100 and displaying the medium information on the screen. The medium information is, for example, information on various types of media such as video tapes, CDs, DVDs, and books, and includes information such as the name, model number, type, content, reference moving image, or price of the medium. The user holds user identification information for uniquely identifying the user.

The user terminal 10 further receives medium ordering information including medium information of a medium that the user wishes to borrow, and a receiving agent regarding a receiving agent (provided as necessary) which is a recipient of the medium on behalf of the borrower. It has a function of transmitting the person information and the window designation information indicating the window where the medium is desired to be received to the medium management terminal 20 via the network 100.

The medium management terminal 20 is used by the administrator of the medium to be rented, and is composed of an information processing device such as a workstation server. The medium management terminal 20 receives the medium ordering information, the receiving agent information, and the window designation information sent from the user terminal 10, and generates ordering identification information for identifying the ordering content or reservation identification information for identifying the reservation content. Then, it has a function of transmitting to the user terminal 10. The order identification information or the reservation identification information and the user identification information are associated with each other and held in the medium management terminal 20. The order identification information and the reservation identification information are generated as unique information for each loan application. Also, the medium management terminal 20 uses the window terminal 3 when a reservation is made.
When the return medium information of the medium is received from 0, the lending possibility notification is transmitted to the reservation person.

The counter terminal 30 is provided at a counter for delivering the medium. The counter terminal 30 accesses the medium management terminal 20 according to the user identification information presented by the recipient, and whether there is medium order information in which the recipient who appears at the window to receive the medium is the borrower or the receiving agent. It has a function of identifying whether or not the order is identified by using the order identification information, and delivering the medium in which the recipient is the borrower and the receiving agent. Further, it has a function of identifying whether or not the recipient has the order identification information in the unreturned state by using the user identification information and presenting the order identification information in the unreturned state to the recipient.

Further, when the counter terminal 30 accesses the medium management terminal 20 by the user identification information presented by the returnee and receives the order identification information in the unreturned state, the return terminal information of the corresponding medium is transmitted.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. In the following explanation,
The network 100 is assumed to be the Internet.

FIG. 2 is a flow chart showing the operation of the present embodiment when the medium for which the loan application is made is not being lent out and the loan can be made smoothly. In FIG. 2, first, a user who wants to rent out a medium uses his or her own user terminal 10
The medium management terminal 20 accesses the medium lending homepage established on the Internet 100 via (step A1). In response to this, the medium management terminal 20 transmits the medium information to the user terminal 10 (step A2).

Various medium information is displayed on the screen of the user terminal 10. The user sees various medium information displayed on the screen of the user terminal 10, determines the medium to be borrowed, and registers on the screen that the medium is to be borrowed (step A3). Then,
A list of receivable windows for the medium is displayed on the screen of the user terminal 10, and the user designates a desired window from the list (step A4). At this time, if the user wants to provide an agent for receiving the medium, the user identification information of the receiving agent is registered (step A5).

The medium ordering information, the receiving agent information, and the window designation information stored in the user terminal 10 are the medium management terminal 2 via the Internet 100 according to a user's instruction.
0 (step A6). At this time, the borrower's own user identification information is also included in the medium ordering information. As a result, the user has applied for a medium loan.

When the medium management terminal 20 receives the medium ordering information, the receiving agent information and the window designation information, the medium management terminal 20 generates ordering identification information for identifying the ordering contents (step A).
7). The generated order identification information is associated with the user identification information of the borrower and the receiving agent who have been received, and the medium lending status (whether it is unlent, lending, unreturned, etc.), the medium management terminal 20. Hold on. The medium management terminal 20 sends the order identification information and the pick-up possible date information that the medium can be picked up to the user terminal 10 (step A8).

The order identification information and the collectable date information may be confirmed on the medium lending homepage,
The user may be notified by e-mail or the like. In addition, the pick-up date information is a rough date and time when the user makes a loan application, and the correct pick-up date information is presented to the orderer again when the medium lending preparation is completed at the window. .

As the recipient of the medium for which the borrower has applied, the borrower or the receiving agent goes to the window designated by the window designation information designated by the collection available date information. The recipient presents the user identification information at the counter terminal 30. The recipient can also present user identification information for several leases. In that case, the recipient will have the status of a receiving agent for at least one case. The window terminal 30 acquires the user identification information by reading the user identification number card possessed by the recipient, and the medium management terminal 2
0 is accessed (step A9). In addition, the counter terminal 30
You may enter the identification number directly from the keyboard.

When the medium management terminal 20 receives the user identification information from the counter terminal 30, the medium management terminal 20 searches whether or not there is order identification information corresponding to the user identification information that matches the received user identification information. For example, the order identification number is transmitted to the window terminal 30 (step A10). Further, when the received user identification information is that of the borrower himself, that is, when the recipient is the borrower himself, the medium management terminal 20 retrieves whether or not there is unreturned order identification information. If present, the order identification number is transmitted to the counter terminal 30 (step A11). This is because if the recipient is the borrower's receiving agent, it is not effective to urge the return of the unreturned medium at the counter, so only when the recipient is the borrower himself Of.

Upon receipt of the order identification information, the counter terminal 30 confirms the medium designated by the order identification information corresponding to the current loan, reads the bar code having the medium number, and delivers the medium to the recipient. (Step A12). There may be only one medium for reading the barcode in each order identification information unit. Further, the window terminal 30 displays the order identification information corresponding to the unreturned portion, and prompts the recipient, who is the borrower, to return the medium. The counter terminal 30 may not be able to deliver the current loan depending on the extent of the unreturned state.

Next, the operation when the borrowed medium is being rented and cannot be immediately borrowed and the operation when the lent medium is returned will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. Steps B1 to B6 in FIG.
Is the same as steps A1 to A6 in FIG.

When the medium management terminal 20 receives the medium ordering information, the receiving agent information and the window designation information, the medium management terminal 20 checks the lending status of the medium designated by the medium ordering information. , And generates reservation identification information for identifying the reservation content (step B7). The generated reservation identification information is held in the medium management terminal 20 in association with the user identification information of the already-received borrower and receiving agent. The medium management terminal 20 transmits the reservation identification information to the user terminal 10 (step B8). The reservation identification information may be confirmed on the medium lending homepage, or may be notified to the orderer by e-mail or the like.

When returning the borrowed medium,
The returner presents the user identification information at the counter terminal 30. The returnee does not have to be the borrower or the receiving agent, as the return is not a disadvantage to the lender. The window terminal 30 acquires the user identification information by reading the user identification number card possessed by the recipient, and accesses the medium management terminal 20 (step B9). Alternatively, the identification number may be directly input from the keyboard of the counter terminal 30.

Upon receiving the user identification information from the counter terminal 30, the medium management terminal 20 retrieves whether or not there is unreturned ordering identification information corresponding to the user identification information that matches the received user identification information. If it exists, the order identification number is transmitted to the window terminal 30 (step B10).

Upon receiving the order identification number, the window terminal 30 confirms the medium designated by the order identification number, reads the bar code having the medium number of the medium, generates return medium information, and sends it to the medium management terminal 20. Send (Step B1
1).

Upon receiving the return medium information, the medium management terminal 20 searches the reservation identification information of the corresponding medium. If the corresponding reservation identification information exists, the reservation person is notified that the medium can be rented (step B12). The lendable notification may be confirmed on the medium lending homepage, or may be notified to the reservation person by e-mail or the like.

The reservation person who has received the lending availability notification can execute the borrowing process and the reservation cancellation process shown in FIG. 2 by the user terminal 10. In this case, the booker
The medium management terminal 20 uses the reservation identification information received in step B8.
Send to. The medium management terminal 20 changes the corresponding reservation identification information into order identification information.

[0038]

The first effect of the present invention is that the user identification information together with the order identification information is transmitted to the medium management terminal in advance, and the delivery of the medium is performed by the user identification information presented by the recipient or the returnee. The borrower can specify the receiving agent because the configuration is performed by matching with the user identification information held by the medium management terminal. As a result, the medium can be received at the window at the convenience of the receiving agent regardless of the convenience of the borrower. Even if a receiving agent is designated, the borrower cannot be the recipient.

The second effect of the present invention is that since all the media corresponding to the user identification information presented by the payee at the counter can be delivered, a plurality of borrowers can specify the same payee. This means that the work of handing over media can be simplified.

The third effect of the present invention is that since the borrower can be confirmed at the counter by the use identification information of the recipient, the borrower can be requested to return the unreturned medium.
It means that the rental turnover ratio of the medium can be increased.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a system configuration of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a medium lending process according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a medium reservation process and a medium return process according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

10 user terminals 20 Media management terminal 30 counter terminals 100 communication network

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Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. Communication between a user terminal used by a user who wants to borrow a medium, a medium management terminal used by an administrator of the medium, and a window terminal provided at a window for delivering the medium. In a medium leasing management system connected via a network, when the user transmits user identification information of the self and the receiving agent, medium ordering information and designated contact information from the user terminal to the medium managing terminal, the medium managing terminal orders Order identification information for identifying the user identification information is generated and held in association with the user identification information, and the medium management terminal is configured to store the user identification information that matches the user identification information transmitted from the counter terminal. A media leasing management system characterized by transmitting order identification information corresponding to information to the counter terminal for lending and returning media. Temu. 2. The medium management terminal, when the user identification information transmitted from the counter terminal is that of the borrower, transmits the unreturned order identification information to the counter terminal. The medium rent management system according to claim 2. 3. The medium management terminal, when the medium ordering information is being rented, generates reservation identification information for identifying reservation contents instead of the ordering identification information, and generates the user identification information. The medium renting according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the medium renting is held in association with each other, and when the medium is returned at the counter terminal, the lending possibility is notified to the user terminal corresponding to the reservation identification information. Management system. 4. Communication between a user terminal used by a user who wants to borrow a medium, a medium management terminal used by an administrator of the medium, and a window terminal provided at a window for delivering the medium. A procedure for transmitting the user identification information of the self and the receiving agent, the medium ordering information, and the designated contact information transmitted from the user terminal by the user connected to the network to the medium management terminal, and the medium management terminal stores the order contents. A procedure of generating order identification information for identification and holding it in association with the user identification information; and when the counter terminal is presented with the user identification information by a recipient or a returner of the medium, A procedure for transmitting user identification information to the medium management terminal, and the medium management terminal is configured to send order identification information corresponding to the user identification information that matches the received user identification information. And transmitting to the window terminal, said window terminal is medium lease management method characterized in that it comprises a procedure for rental or return processing of the media by the order identification information received. 5. The medium management terminal has a procedure for transmitting the unreturned order identification information to the counter terminal when the user identification information transmitted from the counter terminal belongs to the borrower himself. The medium lease management method according to claim 4, characterized in that. 6. The medium management terminal, when the medium ordering information is being rented, generates reservation identification information for identifying reservation contents instead of the ordering identification information, and generates the user identification information. 6. The method according to claim 4 or 5, further comprising a procedure of holding the information in association with each other, and notifying the user terminal corresponding to the reservation identification information that the medium can be returned to the user terminal when the medium is returned. Media lease management method.