JP2020135825A - Image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

To obtain an image forming apparatus that provides a guest with information on reservation for a vacation rental.SOLUTION: A guest data management unit 31 uses a network interface 22 to acquire, from a vacation rental management system 3, guest data of a guest who checks in to a reserved vacation rental facility. A photographing device 23 photographs the face of the guest who operates an image forming apparatus 1 and creates face image data. A print service providing unit 32 (a) compares a face image included in the guest data with the face image based on the face image data to perform authentication of the guest, and when the authentication of the guest is successful, allows the guest to use a predetermined print service.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus.

In a private lodging service system, an electronic key that enables a guest's reserved room to be used is distributed to a mobile terminal owned by the guest (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

On the other hand, some systems use key lockers instead of electronic keys to lend and collect physical keys.

JP-A-2018-101235

However, in the above system, it is difficult to receive the private lodging service if the guest does not have a mobile terminal. For example, tourists from overseas may not have a mobile terminal that can communicate in Japan. Furthermore, since they do not have mobile terminals, it is difficult to provide guests who check in with information on private lodging facilities (rooms, etc.), surrounding facilities, etc. by electronic communication.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to obtain an image forming apparatus that provides guests with information related to reservation of a private lodging.

The image forming apparatus according to the present invention comprises a guest data management unit that acquires guest data of a guest who has checked in to a reserved private lodging facility from a private lodging management system using a network interface, and the image forming apparatus. The accommodation is performed by comparing (a) a face image included in the guest data with a face image based on the face image data with a photographing device that photographs the face of the guest who is operating and generates face image data. It is provided with a print service providing unit that authenticates the person and (b) permits the guest to use the predetermined print service when the authentication of the guest is successful.

According to the present invention, it is possible to obtain an image forming apparatus that provides a guest with information related to the reservation of a private lodging as a printed matter.

The above or other object, feature and superiority of the present invention will be further clarified from the following detailed description with the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an installation location of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a sequence diagram illustrating the operation of the image forming apparatus 1 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 (1/2). FIG. 4 is a sequence diagram illustrating the operation of the image forming apparatus 1 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 (2/2).

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an installation location of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, the image forming apparatus 1 is a device having a printing function such as a printer and a multifunction device, and is installed in a specific facility 2 such as a convenience store where an unspecified person can freely enter and exit, and the specific facility 2 The key locker 11 of the private lodging management system 3 is also installed in the building. The image forming apparatus 1 is connected to a network 4 such as the Internet, and can communicate with the private lodging management system 3 (server 12) via the network 4.

The private lodging management system 3 includes a key locker 11 and a server 12. The key locker 11 individually accommodates the physical keys of (a) one or a plurality of accommodation facilities (that is, accommodation facilities that can be reserved by the private lodging management system 3) in an electronically lockable space. It is provided with (b) a communication device (not shown) and a lock control circuit that electronically locks and unlocks the space using the communication device. The server 12 is provided with a computer that executes a server program, and the computer performs reservation processing, check-in processing, check-out processing, management of usage costs, etc. of accommodation facilities (private lodging places) registered in the private lodging management system 3. At the same time, the key locker 11 is unlocked at check-in, the key locker 11 is locked at check-in, and the like are remotely executed. For example, the guest accesses the server 12 in advance with the user terminal device 5 (personal computer, mobile terminal, etc.) via the network 4, and makes a reservation for the accommodation facility. The server 12 manages the reservation of the accommodation facility individually by the reservation identifier (serial number or the like). That is, when the server 12 receives the reservation information of the accommodation facility (accommodation information, accommodation facility information, date and time, etc.), the server 12 issues a reservation identifier, and the storage device (database) that cannot show the reservation information in association with the reservation identifier. Etc.).

Then, at the time of check-in, the image forming apparatus 1 is operated by the guest.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an image forming apparatus 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 2, the image forming apparatus 1 includes a printing apparatus 21, a network interface 22, a photographing apparatus 23, a scanner 24, an operation panel 25, and a controller 26.

The printing device 21 is an internal device that prints an image page by page on printing paper (for example, an electrophotographic method) based on the printed image data.

The network interface 22 is an internal device that is connected to the network 4 and performs data communication with another device (such as a server 12) connected to the network 4.

The photographing device 23 includes an image sensor, photographs the face of a user (that is, a guest who has checked in) who is operating the image forming device 1, and generates face image data of the guest.

The scanner 24 optically reads an image of a document placed on a platen glass and generates image data of the read image.

The operation panel 25 is arranged on the surface of the housing of the image forming apparatus 1, and is a display device (liquid crystal display panel or the like) that displays various information and operation screens to the user, and an input device (touch panel, hardware) that detects the user operation. It has a key etc.).

The controller 26 is a computer having a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a RAM (Random Access Memory), a ROM (Read Only Memory), an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), and the like, and stores a control program, an application program, and the like in the RAM. By loading it into the CPU and executing it on the CPU, it controls the internal device and operates as various processing units. Here, the controller 26 operates as a guest data management unit 31, a print service providing unit 32, and a billing processing unit 33.

The guest data management unit 31 uses the network interface 22 to acquire guest data of guests who have checked in to the reserved private lodging facility from the private lodging management system 3 (server 12). The guest data includes image data including a guest's face image, a reservation identifier, information to be printed by a predetermined print service described later (image data, text data, etc.) and the like.

This "prescribed print service" includes (a) printing of accommodation facility information (information on the surrounding map, layout, facilities, etc. of the accommodation facility), (b) printing of tourist information of the predetermined area including the accommodation facility, and (c). ) Includes at least one of the television listing prints available at the private lodging facility. Note that (a) printing of accommodation facility information, (b) printing of tourist information, and (c) printing of television program guides that can be viewed at private lodging facilities may be provided as free services.

Further, this "predetermined print service" may include a paid print service (copy service, etc.), and the billing processing unit 33 uses the billing data indicating the usage cost of the paid print service as the usage cost of the private lodging facility. It may be sent to the private lodging management system 3 in order to add up to.

The print service providing unit 32 authenticates the guest by (a) comparing the face image included in the above-mentioned guest data with the face image based on the face image data obtained by the photographing device 23, and (b1). ) If the authentication of the guest is successful, the guest is permitted to use the predetermined print service, and (b2) If the authentication of the guest is unsuccessful, the guest is not permitted to use the predetermined print service. This "predetermined print service" is provided using the printing apparatus 21.

Further, in this embodiment, when the guest's checkout process is executed by the private lodging management system 3 (server 12), a notification (checkout notification) indicating the guest's checkout is sent from the server 12 to the accommodation. It is transmitted to the image forming apparatus 1 operated by the person, and the print service providing unit 32 receives the checkout notification from the private lodging management system 3 and receives a receipt of the usage fee of the private lodging facility included in the checkout notification. Print.

Further, when the guest checkout notification is received from the private lodging management system 3, the guest data management unit 31 deletes the guest data of the guest held by the image forming apparatus 1.

Next, the operation of the image forming apparatus 1 will be described. 3 and 4 are sequence diagrams illustrating the operation of the image forming apparatus 1 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

In advance (for example, before the departure of the trip), the user (guest) operates the user terminal device 5 to access the server 12 and obtains the desired accommodation facility from the accommodation facility registered in the private lodging management system 3. Select and register a reservation for the desired accommodation (step S1). At that time, the user terminal device 5 transmits the image data of the personal certificate (passport, etc.) of the user (guest) to the server 12. In the private lodging management system 3, the image data of the personal certificate of the user (guest) is stored in a database (not shown) in association with the reservation information. The image data of the personal certificate is prepared by scanning with a scanner, taking a picture with a camera, or the like. When the reservation of the desired accommodation facility is registered in the private lodging management system 3, the private lodging management system 3 (server 12) transmits the reservation identifier unique to the reservation to the user terminal device 5, and the user terminal device 5 receives the reservation. The reservation identifier and key locker information (address, map, etc.) indicating the installation location of the key locker 11 that manages the key of the accommodation facility are received and displayed to the user (guest). The user (guest) visually recognizes the reservation identifier and the key locker information, and stores or makes a note of it.

After that, the user (guest) visits the specific facility 2 which is the installation location of the key locker 11 in which the key of the reserved accommodation facility is managed based on the key locker information, and the operation panel 25 of the image forming apparatus 1 Operate to select the check-in function, enter the reservation identifier, and place a personal certificate (passport, etc.) including a face image on the scanner 24 to request check-in.

In the image forming apparatus 1 operated by the user (guest), the guest data management unit 31 receives (a) the reservation identifier input to the operation panel 25 (step S11), and (b) the scanner 24. The image of the personal certificate including the face image is optically read (step S12), and (c) the check-in request, the reservation identifier, and the image data of the personal certificate are stored in the private lodging management system 3 using the network interface 22. (Step S13).

When the server 12 receives the check-in request, the reservation identifier, and the image data of the personal certificate, the server 12 reads the reservation information of the reservation and the image data of the personal certificate specified by the reservation identifier from the above-mentioned database and reads the reserved information. It is determined whether or not the user's face image based on the image data of the personal certificate and the user's face image based on the image data of the received personal certificate match (that is, based on a predetermined algorithm, the same person (Determining whether or not it is a face image), if both match, check-in is performed, and if both do not match, check-in is rejected (step S14).

If the check-in is successful, the server 12 transmits the image data of the personal certificate and the data (image data, text data, etc.) used in the print service to the image forming apparatus 1 as the guest data (step). S15), the key locker 11 is made to unlock the key storage space corresponding to the reservation identifier (step S16). As a result, the user (guest) can take out the key of the accommodation facility from the accommodation space. As a result, the guest can check in without the intervention of a store employee.

On the other hand, in the image forming apparatus 1, the guest data management unit 31 receives the guest data at the network interface 22. Further, as a face recognition process, the print service providing unit 32 causes the photographing device 23 to photograph the face of the user being operated, acquires the photographed image data including the face image, and the face image indicated by the photographed image data. And, it is determined whether or not the face image included in the received guest data (the face image indicated by the image data of the personal certificate) matches (step S17).

Then, when the face recognition process is successful, the print service providing unit 32 permits the provision of the predetermined print service (step S18). As a result, the user (guest) can use the various print services described above in the image forming apparatus 1.

After that, when the use of the image forming apparatus 1 by the user (guest) is completed, the billing processing unit 33 transmits the received reservation identifier and the billing data indicating the usage cost incurred by the user's use to the server 12. (Step S19).

The server 12 receives the reservation identifier and the billing data, and adds the usage cost indicated by the billing data to the usage cost of the accommodation facility corresponding to the reservation identifier (step S20).

When the user (guest) finishes using the image forming apparatus 1, he / she goes to the reserved accommodation facility with the key. After staying, the user (guest) heads to the specific facility 2, operates the operation panel 25 of the image forming apparatus 1, selects the checkout function, inputs the reservation identifier, and requests the checkout.

In the image forming apparatus 1 operated by the user (guest), the guest data management unit 31 accepts the reservation identifier input to the operation panel 25 (step S21), and checks out using the network interface 22. It is transmitted to the server 12 of the private lodging management system 3 together with the request (step S22).

Upon receiving the checkout request and the reservation identifier, the server 12 confirms the return of the key to the storage space of the key corresponding to the reservation identifier (step S23), and then executes the checkout process (step S24). The return of the key to the storage space of the key corresponding to the reservation identifier is detected by, for example, a sensor installed in the storage space and notified to the server 12. As a result, the guest can check out without the intervention of a store employee.

In the check-out process, the usage cost of the accommodation facility corresponding to the reservation identifier is totaled. When the checkout process is completed, the server 12 transmits the receipt data (for example, image data such as PDF and JPEG) to the image forming apparatus 1 (step S25).

In the image forming apparatus 1, the billing processing unit 33 receives the receipt data on the network interface 22, and prints the receipt based on the receipt data on the printing apparatus 21 (step S26). After that, the guest data management unit 31 deletes the guest data of the checked-out guest (step S27).

As described above, according to the above embodiment, the guest data management unit 31 uses the network interface 22 to provide guest data of the guest who has checked in to the reserved private lodging facility from the private lodging management system 3. To get. The photographing device 23 photographs the face of the guest who is operating the image forming apparatus 1 and generates face image data. The print service providing unit 32 authenticates the guest by (a) comparing the face image included in the guest data with the face image based on the face image data, and if the guest authentication is successful, a predetermined value is provided. Allow the guest to use the print service.

As a result, even if the guest does not have a mobile terminal or the like, information related to the reservation of the private lodging is provided to the guest after check-in.

It should be noted that various changes and modifications to the above embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Such changes and modifications may be made without departing from the intent and scope of the subject and without diminishing the intended benefits. That is, it is intended that such changes and amendments are included in the claims.

For example, in the above embodiment, only one specific facility 2 is drawn in FIG. 1, but a plurality of specific facilities 2 may be managed by one server 12.

Further, in the above embodiment, the usage fee may be paid immediately by a coin vendor or the like, or may be paid later by a credit card or the like.

Further, in the above embodiment, the server 12 associates the identification information of various tickets (free ticket or purchased paid ticket) with the reservation identifier in response to the request from the user terminal device 5 at the time of booking the private lodging facility. The image data of the ticket registered and associated with the reservation identifier is transmitted to the image forming apparatus 1, and the print service providing unit 32 performs the above-mentioned "predetermined print service" based on the image data of the ticket. The ticket may be printed by the printing device 21.

The present invention is applicable to, for example, an image forming apparatus.

1 Image forming device 3 Private lodging management system 23 Photography device 31 Guest data management department 32 Print service provision department 33 Billing processing department

Claims (6)

In the image forming apparatus
The guest data management department that acquires the guest data of the guest who checked in the reserved private lodging facility from the private lodging management system using the network interface.
An imaging device that photographs the face of a guest operating the image forming apparatus and generates facial image data,
(A) The guest is authenticated by comparing the face image included in the guest data with the face image based on the face image data, and (b) If the authentication of the guest is successful, a predetermined value is specified. The print service provider that permits the guest to use the print service,
An image forming apparatus comprising. The predetermined print service includes at least one of (a) a print of accommodation facility information, (b) a print of tourist information, and (c) a print of a television program guide that can be viewed at the private lodging facility. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1. With a billing processing unit
The prescribed print service includes a paid print service.
The billing processing unit transmits the billing data indicating the usage cost of the paid print service to the private lodging management system in order to add it to the usage cost of the private lodging facility.
The image forming apparatus according to claim 1. Claim 1 or claim, wherein the print service providing unit prints a receipt for the usage fee of the private lodging facility when the notification indicating the check-out of the guest is received from the private lodging management system. 3. The image forming apparatus according to 3. The image according to claim 1, wherein the guest data management unit deletes the guest data of the guest when the notification indicating the check-out of the guest is received from the private lodging management system. Forming device. The print service providing unit receives image data of a ticket registered in the private lodging management system at the time of reservation of the private lodging facility from the private lodging management system, and prints the ticket based on the image data. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1.

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