JP2024070145A - Shovel management system - Google Patents

Abstract

To realize improvement of the satisfaction of a user.SOLUTION: A shovel management system has a storage unit for storing information which shows the situation of each rental shovel. When the rental condition of a shovel is accepted, a shovel is presented on the basis of the information and an index for determining whether a shovel in the situation shown by the information is suitable for usage if the shovel is used under the condition.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

The present invention relates to a management system for excavators.

Construction machinery such as hydraulic excavators are also sold to rental companies that rent out construction machinery. In recent years in particular, users have been switching to renting construction machinery rather than purchasing it.

A search system for construction machinery available for rental has been proposed, which searches for construction machinery that matches the conditions entered by the user when the user wishes to rent construction machinery, and displays the search results.

JP 2001-351029 A

However, the search system described in Patent Document 1 only detects construction machinery based on availability, and does not provide a technology for renting out construction machinery while taking into account its current condition.

In view of the above, we provide a technology that improves user satisfaction by enabling construction machinery rental that takes into account the current situation.

The shovel management system according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a storage unit that stores information indicating the status of each shovel to be rented out, and is configured to present a shovel when the rental conditions of the shovel are received based on the information and an index for evaluating whether the shovel is suitable for use under the conditions indicated in the information.

According to one aspect of the present invention, by presenting an appropriate shovel, it is possible to improve user satisfaction.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a lending management system according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the concept of a management device that manages shovels according to the embodiment and shovels that are available for rental at a sales office. FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a lending management system according to the embodiment. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a table structure of the shovel setting storage unit according to the embodiment. FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a table structure of the shovel usage information storage unit according to the embodiment. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating components attached to a shovel that can be managed by the management device according to the embodiment. FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a table structure of the rental history storage unit according to the embodiment. FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating an example of a search screen displayed on the user terminal according to the embodiment. FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a list screen of search results displayed on the user terminal according to the embodiment. FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing a process up to when the shovel according to the embodiment transmits the first status information to the management device. FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing a process performed by the management device according to the embodiment until the management device transmits a list of search results.

The following describes an embodiment of the present invention with reference to the drawings. The embodiments described below are illustrative and do not limit the invention, and all features and combinations described in the embodiments are not necessarily essential to the invention. In addition, identical or corresponding components in each drawing are denoted by identical or corresponding reference numerals, and descriptions thereof may be omitted.

(Embodiment)
First, an overview of a shovel rental management system (an example of a management system for a shovel) SYS according to an embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 1. Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a rental management system SYS according to a first embodiment.

<Equipment that composes the excavator rental management system>
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an overview of a lending management system SYS according to this embodiment.

The rental management system SYS includes an excavator 100, a management device 200, a worker terminal 300, and a user terminal 500.

The excavator 100, the management device 200, the worker terminal 300, and the user terminal 500 are connected via a communication line NW so that data can be sent and received.

The number of excavators 100 included in the rental management system SYS may be one or more. The number of worker terminals 300 included in the rental management system SYS may be one or more.

The number of management devices 200 may be one or more. The number of user terminals 500 included in the rental management system SYS may be one or more.

In addition, some or all of one or more excavators 100 included in the rental management system SYS may be replaced with other construction machines (e.g., forklifts, crawler cranes, bulldozers, wheel loaders, asphalt finishers, forestry machines, etc.).

<Outline of the excavator>
The shovel 100 is an example of a construction machine to be rented out. The shovel 100 stores first status information indicating an operating status, and transmits the first status information to the management device 200. The operating status is various information while the shovel 100 is operating, that is, from when the shovel 100 is started (i.e., when the key switch is turned ON) to when the shovel 100 is stopped (i.e., when the key switch is turned OFF).

The excavator 100 according to this embodiment includes a lower carrier 1, an upper rotating body 3 mounted on the lower carrier 1 so as to be rotatable via a rotating mechanism 2, an attachment (an example of a work attachment) mainly composed of a boom 4, an arm 5, and a bucket 6, and a cabin 10 in which an operator rides.

The lower traveling body 1 includes, for example, a pair of left and right crawlers, each of which is hydraulically driven by traveling hydraulic motors 1A, 1B (see Figure 3) to enable self-propulsion.

The upper rotating body 3 rotates relative to the lower traveling body 1 by being hydraulically driven by the rotating hydraulic motor 2A (see Figure 3).

The boom 4 is pivotally attached to the front center of the upper rotating body 3 so that it can be raised and lowered, and an arm 5 is pivotally attached to the tip of the boom 4 so that it can rotate up and down, and a bucket 6 is pivotally attached to the tip of the arm 5 so that it can rotate up and down as an end attachment.

The bucket 6 is attached to the tip of the arm 5 in a manner that allows it to be appropriately replaced depending on the work content of the excavator 100. Therefore, the bucket 6 may be replaced with a different type of bucket, such as a large bucket, a slope bucket, a dredging bucket, etc. The bucket 6 may also be replaced with a different type of end attachment, such as a mixer, a breaker, etc.

The boom 4, arm 5, and bucket 6 are hydraulically driven by a boom cylinder 7, arm cylinder 8, and bucket cylinder 9, which serve as hydraulic actuators, respectively.

The cabin 10 is mounted on the front left side of the upper rotating body 3, and inside (inside the cabin) are a cockpit where an operator sits, an operating device 26 (see Figure 3) described below, and the like.

The excavator 100 is also communicatively connected to the management device 200 via the communication device 70 (see FIG. 3).

With the consent of the operator or the owner of the shovel 100, the shovel 100 transmits (uploads) information about the shovel 100 during operation (hereinafter, "first status information") to the management device 200 via the communication device 70.

The first status information may be any information that indicates the current status of the shovel 100 based on the operation of the shovel 100. The first status information may include, for example, information acquired by the shovel status detection device 40 (see FIG. 3). The first status information may include, for example, information about the load placed on the engine 11, which is the power source of the shovel 100 (hereinafter, "load information"). The first status information may also include, for example, information about consumables (e.g., urea water, battery) installed in the shovel 100 (hereinafter, "status information").

<Overview of the management device>
The management device 200 (an example of an information processing device) is communicably connected to the shovel 100, the operator terminal 300, the user terminal 500, and the like via a communication device 220 (see FIG. 3).

The management device 200 manages information on shovels 100 available for loan. Based on the loan conditions received from the user terminal 500, the management device 200 provides the user terminal 500 with information on the shovels 100 available for loan. The management device 200 also manages status information (indicating the status of the shovel 100) transmitted from the shovel 100 and the worker terminal 300. The management device 200 then presents shovels to be loaned based on the information indicating the status of the shovel 100 and an evaluation index (one example of an index). The evaluation index is an index for evaluating whether the shovel 100 whose current status is indicated is suitable for use when the shovel 100 is used under the loan conditions.

<Overview of worker terminals>
The worker terminal 300 is an example of a terminal of a worker who performs maintenance on the shovel 100. The worker is a worker who periodically performs maintenance on the shovel 100 or a worker who repairs the shovel 100, but also includes a user who replaces parts of the shovel 100, etc.

The worker terminal 300 may be, for example, a mobile terminal such as a mobile phone, a smartphone, a tablet terminal, or a laptop computer terminal. The worker terminal 300 may also be, for example, a fixed terminal such as a desktop computer terminal installed in a temporary office at the work site.

The worker terminal 300 is communicatively connected to the management device 200 via the communication device 320 (see FIG. 3).

The worker terminal 300 transmits to the management device 200 second status information indicating the status of the shovel based on the work (maintenance or repair) performed by the worker on the shovel 100. The second status information is information indicating the status of the shovel 100 based on the work performed by the worker on the shovel 100. The second status information as maintenance status information includes, for example, the replaced parts, the date of replacement, and the replacement interval until the next part replacement. In addition, the second status information is not limited to information regarding part replacement, and may include, for example, the cost (repair fee) of the repair performed on the shovel 100, the configuration in which the repair was performed, and the like.

<Overview of user devices>
The user terminal 500 is a terminal used to search for excavators 100 available for rental.

The user terminal 500 may be, for example, a mobile terminal such as a mobile phone, a smartphone, a tablet terminal, or a laptop computer terminal. The user terminal 500 may also be, for example, a fixed terminal such as a desktop computer terminal installed at the office of a rental company of the excavator 100.

The user terminal 500 may be installed, for example, at a rental company's sales office. An operator of the rental company may use the user terminal 500 when receiving an inquiry from a customer about renting an shovel. In addition, use of the user terminal 500 is not limited to the operator of the rental company, and may be used, for example, by a user who wants to rent an shovel 100.

[Outline of excavator rental companies]
FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the concept of a management device 200 that manages the shovels 100 according to this embodiment, and the shovels 100 that are available for rental at a business office.

In this embodiment, the offices that rent out the excavator 100 include a first office SO_1, a second office SO_2, a third office SO_3, and a fourth office SO_4. In this embodiment, each of the offices is located in a different location.

For example, the first sales office SO_1 is located in Kanto, the second sales office SO_2 is located in Kansai, the third sales office SO_3 is located in Nagoya, and the fourth sales office SO_4 is located in Kyushu.

Each of the first sales office SO_1, the second sales office SO_2, the third sales office SO_3, and the fourth sales office SO_4 has multiple shovels 100 available for rental. Each of the multiple shovels 100 has a different model size, operating status, etc.

The management device 200 manages the excavators 100 held by each of the first sales office SO_1, the second sales office SO_2, the third sales office SO_3, and the fourth sales office SO_4 in a searchable manner.

As a result, the user terminal 500 can access the management device 200 to search for excavators 100 owned by each of the multiple sales offices.

[Explanation of excavators managed by the rental management system]
The excavators 100 to be rented out vary in various ways in addition to the model and size. In addition, the purpose for which the excavator 100 is used and the period for which the excavator 100 is rented vary depending on the user.

For this reason, there are situations where users' needs cannot be met simply by considering the availability of excavators 100.

For example, for a user requesting a long-term rental, the excavator 100 may need maintenance during the rental period.

Furthermore, the load accumulation of the shovel 100 becomes uneven depending on the usage conditions. If the load is heavy for the purpose of the user's use, it is preferable to rent out an shovel 100 with a low load accumulation.

The rental management system SYS according to this embodiment realizes a technology that takes into account the operating status of the excavator 100 and rents it to the user.

Figure 3 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of the loan management system SYS according to this embodiment. Next, the configuration of the devices that make up the loan management system SYS will be described.

In the excavator 100 in FIG. 3, mechanical power lines are indicated by double lines, high-pressure hydraulic lines by thick solid lines, pilot lines by dashed lines, and electrical drive and control lines by thin solid lines.

<Excavator hydraulic drive system>
The hydraulic drive system of the excavator 100 according to this embodiment includes traveling hydraulic motors 1A, 1B, a swing hydraulic motor 2A, a boom cylinder 7, an arm cylinder 8, a bucket cylinder 9, etc., which hydraulically drive the lower traveling structure 1, the boom 4, the arm 5, and the bucket 6, respectively. The hydraulic drive system of the excavator 100 according to this example also includes an engine 11, a main pump 14, and a control valve 17.

The engine 11 is the main power source in the hydraulic drive system, and is mounted at the rear of the upper rotating body 3. The engine 11 rotates at a constant speed at a predetermined target speed, for example, under the control of a controller 30 (described below). The engine 11 is, for example, a diesel engine that uses diesel as fuel, and drives the main pump 14 and the pilot pump 15.

The main pump 14 is mounted on the rear of the upper rotating body 3 and supplies hydraulic oil to the control valve 17 through a high-pressure hydraulic line 16. The main pump 14 is driven by the engine 11. The main pump 14 is, for example, a variable displacement hydraulic pump, and the regulator 14a controls the angle (tilt angle) of the swash plate under the control of a controller 30 described below. This allows the main pump 14 to adjust the stroke length of the piston and control the discharge flow rate (discharge pressure).

The control valve 17 is a hydraulic control device mounted in the center of the upper rotating body 3 and controls the hydraulic drive system in response to the operation of the operating device 26 by the operator. As described above, the control valve 17 is connected to the main pump 14 via the high-pressure hydraulic line 16 and is configured to selectively supply hydraulic oil supplied from the main pump 14 to the traveling hydraulic motors 1A, 1B, the swing hydraulic motor 2A, the boom cylinder 7, the arm cylinder 8, and the bucket cylinder 9, which serve as hydraulic actuators. Specifically, the control valve 17 is a valve unit including multiple hydraulic control valves (directional control valves) that control the flow rate and direction of the hydraulic oil supplied from the main pump 14 to each of the hydraulic actuators.

The excavator 100 may also be remotely operated. In this case, the control valve 17 controls the hydraulic drive system in response to a signal (hereinafter, "remote operation signal") related to the operation of the actuator (hydraulic actuator) of the excavator 100 received from an external device (e.g., the management device 200) through the communication device 70. The remote operation signal specifies the actuator to be operated and the contents of the remote operation related to the actuator to be operated (e.g., the operation direction and the amount of operation, etc.). For example, the controller 30 outputs a control command corresponding to the remote operation signal to a proportional valve (hereinafter, "operation proportional valve") arranged in a predetermined hydraulic line (pilot line) connecting the pilot pump 15 and the control valve 17. As a result, the operation proportional valve can apply a pilot pressure corresponding to the control command, that is, a pilot pressure corresponding to the contents of the remote operation specified in the remote operation signal, to the control valve 17. Therefore, the control valve 17 can realize the operation of the hydraulic actuator corresponding to the contents of the remote operation specified in the remote operation signal.

<Excavator operation system configuration>
The operating system of the shovel 100 in this example includes a pilot pump 15, an operating device 26, a pressure sensor 29, etc.

The pilot pump 15 is mounted on the rear of the upper rotating body 3 and supplies pilot pressure to the operating device 26 via a pilot line 25. The pilot pump 15 is, for example, a fixed displacement hydraulic pump, and is driven by the engine 11, or the engine 11 and the motor generator 12.

The operation device 26 is provided near the cockpit of the cabin 10 and is an operation input means for the operator to operate each driven element (e.g., the lower traveling body 1, the upper rotating body 3, the boom 4, the arm 5, and the bucket 6, etc.). In other words, the operation device 26 is an operation input means for operating the hydraulic actuators (e.g., the traveling hydraulic motors 1A and 1B, the rotating hydraulic motor 2A, the boom cylinder 7, the arm cylinder 8, the bucket cylinder 9, etc.) that drive each driven element. The operation device 26 is connected to the control valve 17 via the secondary pilot line 27. As a result, a pilot signal (pilot pressure) corresponding to the operation state of the lower traveling body 1, the upper rotating body 3, the boom 4, the arm 5, and the bucket 6, etc. in the operation device 26 is input to the control valve 17. Therefore, the control valve 17 can drive each hydraulic actuator according to the operation state in the operation device 26.

The operating device 26 may also be electric. In this case, an electric signal indicating the operation content of the operating device 26 (e.g., the operation direction, the amount of operation, etc.) is input to the controller 30. The controller 30 then controls the operating proportional valve connected to the control valve 17 via a pilot line according to the content of the electric signal, i.e., the operation content of the operating device 26. As a result, a pilot pressure according to the operation content of the operating device 26 is input from the operating proportional valve, and the control valve 17 can drive each hydraulic actuator according to the operating state of the operating device 26.

Note that if the shovel 100 is remotely operated or if the shovel 100 performs operations autonomously, the operating device 26 may be omitted.

The pressure sensor 29 detects the pilot pressure on the secondary side (pilot line 27) of the operating device 26, i.e., the pilot pressure corresponding to the operating state of each driven element (hydraulic actuator that drives the driven element) in the operating device 26. The pressure sensor 29 is connected to the controller 30, and a pressure signal (pressure detection value) corresponding to the operating state of the lower traveling body 1, upper rotating body 3, boom 4, arm 5, bucket 6, etc. in the operating device 26 is input to the controller 30. This allows the controller 30 to grasp the operation content of the operating device 26 related to the hydraulic actuator based on the detection information of the pressure sensor 29.

If the operating device 26 is an electrical type, the pressure sensor 29 is omitted. This is because the operating state of the operating device 26 is input directly to the controller 30 as an electrical signal from the operating device 26.

<Excavator control system configuration>
The control system of the shovel 100 in this example includes a display device 50, an input device 52, a communication device 70, a shovel status detection device 40, and a controller 30.

The display device 50 is installed in a location inside the cabin 10 that is easily visible to the operator, and displays various information images. The display device 50 is, for example, a liquid crystal display or an organic EL (electroluminescence) display.

The input device 52 receives operation input from an operator or the like and outputs a signal corresponding to the operation content to the controller 30. The input device 52 may include, for example, a touch panel, a touch pad, a joystick, a button switch, a keyboard, etc.

The communication device 70 is connected to a specific communication network, including, for example, a mobile communication network with a base station as an end, a satellite communication network using a communication satellite, the Internet network, etc., and communicates with an external device such as the management device 200.

The shovel status detection device 40 detects the status of the shovel 100.

The shovel condition detection device 40 may include a sensor that detects the load occurring on the engine 11 of the shovel 100. For example, the shovel condition detection device 40 may include a rotation speed sensor of the engine 11 to detect the load occurring on the engine 11.

The method for detecting the load acting on the engine 11 may be any method, and the load acting on the engine 11 may be estimated based on the operation content received by the pressure sensor 29. For example, the shovel status detection device 40 may include a pressure sensor 29 that detects a pilot pressure corresponding to the operation content of the operating device 26. The shovel status detection device 40 may also include a sensor (e.g., a linear encoder) that detects the operation content and is built into the electric operating device 26.

The controller 30 may obtain the load acting on the engine 11 from a source other than the excavator status detection device 40. For example, the fuel injection amount of the engine 11 as the engine operating status information may be obtained from a function unit of the controller 30 that determines the fuel injection amount. Also, for example, the output horsepower of the engine 11 as the engine operating status information may be obtained from a function unit of the controller 30 that calculates the output horsepower.

The shovel status detection device 40 also includes various sensors attached to the shovel 100. The shovel status detection device 40 detects the remaining amount of urea water stored in the urea water tank of the shovel 100. Furthermore, the shovel status detection device 40 detects the SOC of a battery (not shown) provided in the shovel 100.

As another example of the shovel status detection device 40, the shovel status detection device 40 may include a cylinder pressure sensor that detects the cylinder pressure of the boom cylinder 7, the arm cylinder 8, and the bucket cylinder 9. The shovel status detection device 40 may also include a posture sensor that detects the posture state of the upper rotating body 3, the boom 4, the arm 5, the bucket 6, etc. The posture sensor may include a rotary encoder, an acceleration sensor (tilt sensor), an angular velocity sensor, a six-axis sensor, an IMU (Inertial Measurement Unit), etc. that are mounted on each of the upper rotating body 3, the boom 4, the arm 5, the bucket 6, etc. The shovel status detection device 40 may also include a sensor that acquires the operating state of the main pump 14 (for example, a discharge pressure sensor that detects the discharge pressure, etc.).

The controller 30 performs various controls related to the shovel 100. The functions of the controller 30 may be realized by any hardware or a combination of hardware and software. For example, the controller 30 may be configured mainly with a computer including a processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a memory device (main storage device) such as a RAM (Random Access Memory), a non-volatile auxiliary storage device such as a ROM (Read Only Memory), an interface device, etc. The same applies below to the control device 210 of the management device 200, the control device 310 of the worker terminal 300, and the control device 510 of the user terminal 500.

The functions of controller 30 may be distributed among multiple controllers.

The controller 30 includes, for example, an acquisition unit 301, an identification unit 302, a registration unit 303, and a transmission control unit 306 as functional units realized by executing one or more programs installed in an auxiliary storage device on a CPU. The controller 30 also uses a load information storage unit 304 and a status information storage unit 305. The load information storage unit 304 and the status information storage unit 305 can be realized, for example, by an auxiliary storage device in the controller 30 or an external storage device capable of communicating with the controller 30.

The acquisition unit 301 acquires the status of the shovel 100 detected by the shovel status detection device 40 from the shovel status detection device 40.

The identification unit 302 identifies the load currently occurring on the shovel 100 based on the acquired situation. For example, the load occurring on the engine 11 is identified based on the rotation speed detected by the rotation speed sensor of the engine 11. For example, the identification unit 302 identifies whether the rotation speed of the engine 11 corresponds to a low load, a medium load, or a high load. In other words, a range of rotation speed is set in advance for each of the low load, the medium load, and the high load. This allows the identification unit 302 to identify whether the load currently occurring on the engine 11 corresponds to a low load, a medium load, or a high load. Note that this embodiment shows an example of a method for identifying the load of the engine 11, and other methods may be used as a method for identifying the load of the shovel 100. Note that in this embodiment, an example of identifying the load of the engine 11 will be described, but the load is not limited to the load of the engine 11, and may be the load of the shovel 100 (machine).

The registration unit 303 registers information indicating the operating status of the excavator 100 in each of the load information storage unit 304 and the status information storage unit 305.

The load information storage unit 304 stores the operating time for each of the low, medium, and high loads.

The registration unit 303 registers the current status of the excavator 100 in the load information storage unit 304 and the status information storage unit 305.

For example, the registration unit 303 adds the unit time from the previous registration to the present to the operating time associated with the load (low load, medium load, or high load) identified by the identification unit, and registers this time in the load information storage unit 304 as new operating time. This allows the load information storage unit 304 to accumulate a history of operating times for each load generated by the excavator 100 up to the present.

The status information storage unit 305 stores information indicating the current status of the excavator 100. The current status includes, for example, the remaining amount of urea water and the battery SOC.

The registration unit 303 then registers and updates the information stored in the status information storage unit 305 using the remaining amount of urea water and the battery SOC acquired by the acquisition unit 301. This allows the status information storage unit 305 to hold the current status of the excavator 100.

The transmission control unit 306 controls the transmission of the information registered in the load information storage unit 304 and the status information storage unit 305 to the management device 200 using the communication device 70 as first status information indicating the operating status of the excavator 100.

<Configuration of worker terminal>
The worker terminal 300 includes a control device 310 , a communication device 320 , an operation input device 330 , and a display device 340 .

The control device 310 performs various controls related to the worker terminal 300. The control device 310 includes a maintenance information control unit 3101 as a functional unit that is realized, for example, by executing a predetermined application program (hereinafter, "maintenance control application") installed in an auxiliary storage device on a CPU.

The communication device 320 connects to a specific communication network, such as a mobile communication network with a base station as an end point or a satellite communication network using a communication satellite, and communicates with external devices such as the management device 200.

The operation input device 330 accepts operations from the user of the worker terminal 300 and outputs a signal corresponding to the operation input to the control device 310. The operation input device 330 is, for example, a touch panel or a button switch.

The display device 340 displays various information images to the user of the worker terminal 300 under the control of the control device 310. The display device 340 is, for example, a liquid crystal display or an organic EL display.

The maintenance information control unit 3101 controls information related to the maintenance performed on the excavator 100 in response to a specified operation by the operator via the operation input device 330 on the maintenance screen of the excavator 100 in the maintenance control application displayed on the display device 340.

For example, when an operator replaces a part of the excavator 100, the maintenance information control unit 3101 controls the input of identification information of the replacement part, the replacement date, and the replacement interval of the replacement part.

Furthermore, when a worker repairs the excavator 100, the maintenance information control unit 3101 controls the input of the repair cost and the repaired configuration (parts).

Then, the maintenance information control unit 3101 controls the communication device 320 to transmit the information for which the input control has been performed to the management device 200 as second status information indicating the operating status of the excavator 100.

<Configuration of User Terminal>
The user terminal 500 includes a control device 510 , a communication device 520 , an operation input device 530 , and a display device 540 .

The control device 510 performs various controls related to the user terminal 500. The control device 510 includes, for example, a browser 5101 as a functional unit realized by executing a specific application program installed in an auxiliary storage device.

The communication device 520 connects to a specific communication network, such as a mobile communication network with a base station as its terminal or a satellite communication network using a communication satellite, and communicates with external devices such as the management device 200.

The operation input device 530 accepts operations from the user of the user terminal 500 and outputs a signal corresponding to the operation input to the control device 510. The operation input device 530 is, for example, a touch panel or a button switch.

The display device 540 displays various information images to the user of the user terminal 500 under the control of the control device 510. The display device 340 is, for example, a liquid crystal display or an organic EL display.

The browser 5101 displays on the display device 540 a screen of a website provided by an external device that can be connected via the communication line NW. For example, the browser 5101 displays a search screen for searching for an excavator 100 to be rented, which is provided by the management device 200. Specific search screens and the like will be described later.

<Configuration of Management Device>
The management device 200 includes a control device 210 and a communication device 220 .

The communication device 220 is connected to a specific communication network, including, for example, a mobile communication network with a base station as an end, a satellite communication network using a communication satellite, the Internet network, etc., and communicates with external devices such as the management device 200.

The control device 210 performs various controls related to the management device 200. The control device 310 includes, for example, an acquisition unit 2102, a registration unit 2103, a reception unit 2106, an extraction unit 2107, a calculation unit 2108, a screen generation unit 2109, and a transmission control unit 2110 as functional units realized by executing a predetermined application program installed in an auxiliary storage device on a CPU. The control device 210 also uses a shovel setting storage unit 2101, a shovel usage information storage unit 2104, and a rental history storage unit 2105. The shovel setting storage unit 2101, the shovel usage information storage unit 2104, and the rental history storage unit 2105 can be realized, for example, by an auxiliary storage device in the control device 210 or an external storage device capable of communicating with the control device 210.

The shovel setting storage unit 2101 stores information regarding the settings for each shovel 100. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of a table structure of the shovel setting storage unit 2101 according to this embodiment. As shown in FIG. 4, the machine number, machine size, sales office (an example of information regarding the location of the shovel), attachment, and model are stored in association with each other. By storing this information, the shovel setting storage unit 2101 can present shovels 100 that match the user's rental conditions. This can improve user satisfaction.

The machine number is a number uniquely assigned to each shovel 100 to be rented. The machine size indicates the size of the machine of the shovel 100 to be rented. The sales office indicates the sales office (an example of a location) where the shovel 100 is located. The attachment indicates the type of attachment currently attached to the shovel 100. The model is the type of shovel 100, and can identify whether it is an ICT (Information and Communication Technology) shovel, whether it is an old model, etc.

The shovel use information storage unit 2104 stores information indicating the status of the shovel 100 transmitted from the shovel 100 and the worker terminal 300. The stored information includes information regarding the continuity of the work when the shovel 100 performs the work. FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of a table structure of the shovel use information storage unit 2104 according to this embodiment. As shown in FIG. 5, the shovel use information storage unit 2104 stores the machine number, the remaining amount of urea water, the remaining amount of battery, repairs, load time (an example of load information), and the replacement status of each part in association with each other. For example, the remaining amount of urea water, the remaining amount of battery, repairs, load time (an example of load information), and the replacement status of each part are included in the information regarding the continuity. Note that the information held by the shovel use information storage unit 2104 is an example, and may be information regarding the continuity of the work when the shovel 100 performs the work in the current situation, and may not include all of the above information, or may include other information. For example, the shovel usage information storage unit 2104 may store the remaining amount of fuel held by the shovel 100.

The remaining amount of urea water indicates the current remaining amount in the urea water tank of the excavator 100. The remaining battery amount indicates the current SOC of the battery of the excavator 100.

Information regarding repairs performed on the excavator 100 is stored. Information regarding repairs includes repair costs and repair history. The repair cost is the total cost of repairs performed on the excavator 100. The repair history stores the name of the configuration that was repaired.

The load time holds the total operating time for each of the "high," "medium," and "low" loads classified based on the load (e.g., difference in rotation speed) of the engine 11 of the excavator 100.

The replacement status for each part stores information regarding the replacement of each part. In the example shown in FIG. 5, the part replacement date, the replacement interval for that part, and the usage time of that part are stored in association with each other for each of the first part and the second part. As shown for the first part, if the current usage time is 250 hours and the replacement interval is 500 hours, and the part is operated for 8 hours a day, the replacement date will be reached in 32 days. In this way, in this embodiment, the replacement date for each part can be estimated.

The parts (e.g., the first part and the second part) whose replacement status is maintained may be any part attached to the shovel 100 that is replaceable. The number of parts maintained by the shovel usage information storage unit 2104 is determined according to the implementation. Next, examples of parts (the first part and the second part) whose replacement status is maintained will be described.

Figure 6 is a diagram illustrating parts attached to the excavator 100 that can be managed by the management device 200. In the example shown in Figure 6, the parts to be replaced are shown for each device of the excavator 100. Specifically, the parts shown are attached to the engine 11, the rotating body (upper rotating body 3), and the undercarriage (lower running body 1).

Of the parts (including consumables) present in the engine 11, the replacement status of each of the fuel filter (main), fuel filter (pre), engine oil pan, engine oil filter, radiator coolant, and air cleaner element may be stored in the excavator usage information storage unit 2104.

The replacement status of each of the parts (including consumables) present in the upper rotating body 3, such as the hydraulic oil, pilot oil filter, return filter, suction filter, air breather, turntable bearing, slewing ring gear grease, slewing reducer gear oil, and slewing reducer grease, may be stored in the excavator usage information storage unit 2104.

Of the parts (including consumables) present in the lower traveling body 1, the replacement status of the traveling reduction gear oil, the engine oil of the upper roller and take-up roller, and the gear oil of the lower roller may be stored in the excavator usage information storage unit 2104.

The parts stored in the shovel usage information storage unit 2104 include one or more of the above-mentioned parts. Note that the above-mentioned parts are shown as examples, and the replacement status of other parts may also be stored.

The rental history storage unit 2105 stores the history of the excavator 100 that has been rented out. FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an example of the table structure of the rental history storage unit 2105. As shown in FIG. 7, the rental history storage unit 2105 stores, in association with each other, a machine number that identifies the rented machine, a rental destination that indicates the user who rented the machine, and a rental date that indicates the date on which the machine was rented out.

The acquisition unit 2102 acquires status information related to the shovel 100 from each of the worker terminal 300 and the shovel 100 via the communication device 220. For example, the acquisition unit 2102 acquires first status information from the shovel 100 and acquires second status information from the worker terminal 300.

The registration unit 2103 registers the status information regarding the shovel 100 acquired by the acquisition unit 2102 in the shovel usage information storage unit 2104.

For example, the registration unit 2103 registers and updates the load time in the shovel usage information storage unit 2104 based on the load information included in the first status information. Furthermore, the registration unit 2103 registers and updates one or more of the remaining amount of urea water and the remaining battery amount in the shovel usage information storage unit 2104 based on the status information included in the first status information.

As another example, the registration unit 2103 registers and updates the replacement status of each part in the shovel usage information storage unit 2104 based on the work content included in the second status information. Furthermore, the registration unit 2103 registers and updates information related to repairs in the shovel usage information storage unit 2104 based on the work content included in the second status information.

In this embodiment, information about the shovel 100 is stored in each of the shovel setting storage unit 2101, the shovel usage information storage unit 2104, and the rental history storage unit 2105. This allows the management device 200 to provide the user with a search service for the shovel 100 that is to be rented from the user. Next, the configuration for providing the search service will be described.

The reception unit 2106 receives a request to rent the shovel 100 from the user terminal 500. The rental request includes various rental conditions for the shovel 100. The rental conditions include, for example, one or more of the rental period of the shovel 100, the machine size, the type of attachment, the purpose, and the work location. Furthermore, this embodiment shows an example of rental conditions, and other conditions may be received.

An application is an application for which the shovel 100 is used, and includes, for example, excavation and loading, slope finishing, and the like. In addition, the management device 200 stores the load generated by the shovel 100 in association with each application. For example, excavation and loading is considered to be a low-load task.

The extraction unit 2107 extracts information about shovels 100 that match the rental conditions for the shovels 100 stored in the shovel setting memory unit 2101. For example, if the rental conditions include the machine size and the type of attachment, the extraction unit 2107 extracts shovels 100 that match the rental conditions. In addition, if the management device 200 stores schedule information for the rental of shovels 100 (not shown), it extracts information about shovels 100 that are available during the rental period.

The rental conditions extracted by the extraction unit 2107 are not limited to the vehicle body information such as the machine size and the type of attachment described above. For example, the rental conditions may include, in addition to the vehicle body information, one or more of the following: the operation status of the shovel, the maintenance status information of the shovel, and rental request information.

The operating status of the shovel may include the operating time of the shovel 100, the load on the shovel 100, or the remaining amount of various consumer goods, etc.

The shovel maintenance status information is information regarding the maintenance performed on the shovel 100, and may include, for example, information regarding the replacement timing of replacement parts.

The rental request information is information requested by a user when renting out an shovel. For example, it may be information such as whether it is a material hand machine (applied machine), the rental fee, and the location where the shovel is rented out. When setting the rental fee, it may be a daily fee or a total fee. It may also be possible to set upper and lower limits for the fee. The location where the shovel is rented out may be an office or the like selected by the user. It may also be information indicating the distance from the work location to the rental location. The setting of the distance from the work location to the rental location may include, for example, an upper limit of the distance to the rental location.

In addition, the vehicle information that is a rental condition is not limited to the machine size and the type of attachment, but may include, for example, at least one of the machine number, the type of excavator 100, and whether it is an ICT machine or not.

The above rental conditions may be set by the user, or may be automatically set taking into account the user, etc.

When the calculation unit 2108 receives the rental conditions for the shovel 100, the calculation unit 2108 calculates a recommendation level, which is a numerical value indicating the degree of recommendation of each of the shovels 100 extracted by the extraction unit 2107, indicating whether the shovel 100 is suitable for the user to whom the shovel is to be rented.

The calculation unit 2108 according to this embodiment calculates the recommendation level from the status information of each shovel 100 stored in the shovel usage information storage unit 2104, based on the evaluation index corresponding to the rental conditions.

The evaluation index corresponding to the rental conditions is, for example, an index for evaluating the situation information based on one or more of the purpose of the shovel 100 to be rented, the rental period, and the work location, which are included in the rental conditions input by the user. This embodiment represents an example of an evaluation index, but the evaluation index is not limited to this embodiment and may be an index for evaluating the situation information according to the conditions input by the user.

The status information used to calculate the recommendation level is information stored in each of the shovel setting memory unit 2101, the shovel usage information memory unit 2104, and the rental history memory unit 2105.

For example, the information stored in the shovel usage information storage unit 2104 includes first status information from the shovel 100 and second status information from the worker terminal 300. The first status information and the second status information indicate the current status based on the past operation of the shovel 100. In other words, by calculating the recommendation level with reference to the shovel usage information storage unit 2104, it is possible to realize the calculation of the recommendation level taking into account the past usage history of the shovel 100.

The calculation unit 2108 according to this embodiment calculates the recommendation level based on the replacement status of each part, the remaining amount of consumables (e.g., urea water and batteries), the load information of the excavator 100, and the distance (transportation cost) from the sales office to the work site. Note that this embodiment shows an example of calculating the recommendation level, and any calculation method may be used as long as it satisfies the user's requirements.

The calculation unit 2108 according to this embodiment calculates the recommendation level according to the evaluation index of the shovel based on the rental conditions. In doing so, the calculation unit 2108 weights the parameters included in the situation information (for which the recommendation level is calculated) based on the rental period, the distance from the location where the shovel 100 is located to the work site, and the use, so as to match the rental request from the user. In this way, this embodiment uses weights as an example of an evaluation index.

For example, the calculation unit 2108 calculates a recommendation level for each part stored in the shovel usage information storage unit 2104 based on the replacement status of the part. For example, the calculation unit 2108 sets a recommendation level for each part in the range of 0 to 10 points. For example, 10 points is set as the initial value for each part. The calculation unit 2108 then deducts a predetermined number of points (for example, 5 points) from parts that will reach their replacement deadline during the rental period set by the user. Whether or not the replacement deadline will be reached can be calculated based on the replacement interval, usage time, and operating time per day (for example, 8 hours) set for each part. In this way, the calculation unit 2108 adjusts the recommendation level to be lower for shovels 100 that require maintenance such as part replacement during the rental period.

The higher the total value of the recommendation level for each part of an excavator 100, the fewer the number of parts that will need to be replaced during the rental period. This improves convenience for the user.

As another example, the calculation unit 2108 calculates the recommendation level based on the remaining amount of urea water and the remaining amount of battery stored in the excavator usage information storage unit 2104. For example, the calculation unit 2108 calculates the number of times urea water is replenished during the rental period based on the rental period and the (preset) daily decrease amount. Then, the calculation unit 2108 subtracts a predetermined number of points (e.g., number of replacements x 3 points) from the initial value of 10 points according to the number of times the urea number is replaced. Similarly, the calculation unit 2108 sets the recommendation level in the range of 0 to 10 points based on the rental period and the SOC of the battery. For example, the calculation unit 2108 subtracts a predetermined number of points if the battery needs to be replaced or recharged during the rental period.

The higher the total value of the recommendation level for the remaining amount of urea water and the remaining amount of battery for an excavator 100, the less urea water replenishment and battery maintenance will be required for the excavator 100 during the rental period. This can improve convenience for the user.

As another example, the calculation unit 2108 calculates the recommendation level based on the load time (an example of load information) stored in the shovel usage information storage unit 2104. In this embodiment, the recommendation level is calculated based on the purpose input by the user and the load distribution (low load operation time, medium load operation time, high load operation time) stored in the load time.

However, if the shovel 100 is operated for a long period of time under high load, the risk of failure or other problems occurring in the shovel 100 increases.

Furthermore, the load generated by the shovel 100 varies depending on the purpose of use. This results in variation in the load accumulated in each of the shovels 100 to be rented out. If the load accumulated in each shovel 100 varies, maintenance inspections and the like may need to be carried out to accommodate each shovel 100. In this way, it is preferable that the accumulated loads of the multiple shovels 100 to be rented out be uniform.

Therefore, when the user inputs the purpose, the calculation unit 2108 calculates the recommendation level from the load time (an example of load information) stored in the shovel usage information storage unit 2104 based on the weighting switched according to the purpose.

For example, the calculation unit 2108 sets a numerical value indicating a weight for each of low load, medium load, and high load based on the use input by the user. For example, when the use is light work, the weight for high load (e.g., 0.03) is smaller than the weight for low load (e.g., 0.05). As another example, when the use is heavy work, the weight for low load (e.g., 0.01) is smaller than the weight for high load (e.g., 0.05).

Then, the calculation unit 2108 calculates the recommendation level for the load based on the weight for each load and the operation time for each load. For example, the calculation unit 2108 calculates the recommendation level for the load for each excavator 100 by "initial value 100 - (high load weight x high load operation time) - (medium load weight x medium load operation time) - (low load weight x low load operation time)".

By using the load recommendation level calculated by the above-mentioned method, a shovel 100 is recommended that takes into consideration the current use and the load to date in addition to the operating time to date. By making the above-mentioned recommendation, it is possible to prevent the load from being concentrated on a specific shovel 100. This makes it possible to equalize the load on the shovels 100 to be rented out, thereby reducing the burden on the lending company. Furthermore, in this embodiment, for shovels that have accumulated load due to long-term operation, the recommendation level is lowered for high-load uses, thereby reducing the possibility of breakdowns, etc.

As described above, the calculation unit 2108 according to this embodiment switches the weighting depending on the purpose (one example of a rental condition) input by the user. This embodiment has described an example in which weighting is applied to the load time in order to calculate (evaluate) the recommendation level. This embodiment can realize the presentation of excavators 100 according to the user's request by applying weighting according to the purpose input by the user.

Furthermore, the calculation unit 2108 may calculate a recommendation level for repairing the shovel 100 based on the use input by the user. The calculation unit 2108 may retain a calculation method for calculating the recommendation level from the repair cost for each load. For example, by using the calculation method, the calculation unit 2108 calculates a recommendation level that decreases as the repair cost increases when the use is high-load work, compared to low-load work. This prevents high-load work from being performed on an shovel 100 that requires frequent repairs.

Furthermore, the calculation unit 2108 may calculate the recommendation level for transporting the shovel 100 based on the distance (transportation cost) from the sales office to the work site. For example, the calculation unit 2108 sets the recommendation level based on the distance from the sales office where the shovel 100 is stored to the work site. In other words, a high recommendation value is set for the shovel 100 in a sales office that is close to the work site, and a low recommendation level is set for the shovel 100 in a sales office that is far from the work site.

By using the distance recommendation calculated using the method described above, it is possible to rent from an office close to the work site, thereby reducing transportation costs and the burden of carrying the goods.

Furthermore, when there are only a limited number of models of shovels 100 that are compatible with the application, the calculation unit 2108 may add a high recommendation level (e.g., 100 points) for the model of shovel 100 that is compatible with the application. For example, when the application is slope finishing, a high recommendation level (e.g., 100 points) may be added for a model (type) that indicates an ICT shovel that is capable of semi-automatic control. Furthermore, when the application is excavation and loading, a high recommendation level (e.g., 100 points) may be added for a model (type) that corresponds to an older model of shovel.

Furthermore, in the case of a user who has a history of renting out a shovel 100, the calculation unit 2108 may add a high recommendation level (e.g., 100 points) to the shovel 100 that the user previously rented. In other words, if a user who has once rented a shovel 100 requests to rent it again, the calculation unit 2108 assumes that the user was satisfied with the previously rented shovel 100, and sets the recommendation level for that shovel to be high.

The calculation unit 2108 then adds up the recommendation levels calculated for each of the above-mentioned items for each shovel 100 to calculate the total recommendation level for each of the shovels 100 that can be rented out. As described above, the calculation unit 2108 according to this embodiment calculates the recommendation level by weighting the user's rental conditions for each item. Note that this embodiment shows an example of weighting, and is not limited to the weighting method described above. In this embodiment, by weighting according to the rental conditions, a list of shovels 100 that meet the user's requirements can be generated. Therefore, the user's satisfaction level can be improved.

The screen generation unit 2109 generates a list screen showing a list of excavators 100 available for loan, which correspond to the loan request received by the reception unit 2106. On the list screen, information on the excavators 100 extracted by the extraction unit 2107 is arranged in descending order of the recommendation level calculated by the calculation unit 2108. The screen generated by the screen generation unit 2109 will be described later.

This generates a list screen in which the excavators 100 to be rented are displayed in order according to the recommended value (an example of an evaluation) based on the evaluation index for the information indicating the status of the excavator 100 stored in the shovel setting storage unit 2101 and the shovel usage information storage unit 2104. A user who refers to the list screen can check the excavators 100 in order of recommendation level, thereby reducing the operational burden required to identify an excavator 100 that matches the user's requirements.

The transmission control unit 2110 transmits the list screen generated by the screen generation unit 2109 to the user terminal 500. This allows the user to check the list of excavators 100 available for loan in order of recommendation level.

[Explanation of the screen displayed on the user's terminal]
Next, a description will be given of a screen displayed on the user terminal 500. The user terminal 500 according to this embodiment accesses a website provided by the management device 200, and a search screen is displayed.

Figure 8 is a diagram illustrating an example of a search screen displayed on the user terminal 500. The search screen shown in Figure 8 has a column 8001 for the planned start date of the loan period, a column 8002 for the time, and a column 8003 for the planned return date of the loan period, and a column 8004 for the time. The search screen shows information about the user (e.g., client A) 8011 that has been set up to perform the search.

The search screen further includes a selection field 8005 for machine size, a selection field 8006 for attachments, a selection field 8007 for use, and a selection field 8008 for work location.

Furthermore, the search screen has a search button 8009 and a clear button 8010.

When the search button 8009 is pressed, the rental conditions set on the search screen are sent to the management device 200.

The user terminal 500 can transmit one or more of the following rental conditions: rental period, machine size, type of attachment, use, and work location. This allows the user terminal 500 to receive a list screen of search results.

The search screen shown in FIG. 8 is an example, and other information may be included as searchable items displayed on the search screen.

For example, the search screen may display items related to the rental conditions to be extracted by the extraction unit 2107. For example, items related to one or more of the vehicle body information, the operation status of the shovel 100, the maintenance status information of the shovel 100, and the rental request information may be displayed in a configurable manner. The information related to the vehicle body information, the operation status of the shovel 100, the maintenance status information of the shovel 100, and the rental request information is as described above, and therefore description thereof will be omitted.

Then, the management device 200 extracts (selects) excavators 100 in accordance with the rental conditions set for the items displayed on the search screen, and the extracted (selected) excavators are presented on the user terminal 500 in order of recommendation level.

Figure 9 is a diagram illustrating a list screen of search results displayed on the user terminal 500. In the list screen of search results shown in Figure 9, excavators 100 that match the rental conditions are arranged in order of recommendation level. In the example shown in Figure 9, the user terminal 500 receives a selection of a radio button (e.g., radio button 9011) and a press of the details screen 9001 from the user, and displays a details screen showing the specifications, etc., of the selected excavator 100.

As shown in FIG. 9, the list 9010 on the list screen shows the machine number, the sales office, and the estimate in association with each other. The machine number is information that identifies the excavator 100 that can be rented. The sales office is the location where the excavator 100 is located. The estimate shows the estimate for renting the excavator 100. The method for calculating the estimate may be the same as that used conventionally. The estimate may also include the cost of transportation from the sales office to the work site.

In the list 9010, the excavators 100 are arranged in order of recommendation level. This allows the user to check the excavators 100 in order of recommendation level by referring to the list from the top. Furthermore, the list screen may display information that serves as a criterion for determining whether or not to lend each excavator 100.

In the example shown in FIG. 9, "Used" 9003 is displayed as information about the excavator 100. "Used" 9003 is displayed when the rental history storage unit 2105 has registered that the machine has been rented to the user currently requesting a search. In other words, the user can recognize that the machine has been rented in the past.

Furthermore, "Near!" 9004 is displayed for excavators 100 that are located at a sales office close to the work site. This information is displayed based on the inputted distance between the work location and the sales office. In other words, the user can recognize that they can reduce their transportation burden if they rent this machine.

The above-mentioned information is added when the screen generation unit 2109 generates the list screen. Note that the information displayed in association with the shovel is not limited to "In use" and "Close!", and other information or icons may be displayed.

In this way, when the management device 200 receives the rental conditions of the shovel 100, the management device 200 presents to the user terminal 500 a list screen in which the shovels 100 to be rented are arranged based on the recommendation level calculated based on the status information of the shovel 100 and an evaluation index for evaluating whether the shovel 100 is suitable for use when the shovel 100, whose operating status is indicated in the status information, is used under the rental conditions. This embodiment shows an example of a method for presenting the shovels 100 to be rented, and other methods may be used. In addition, the method for calculating the recommendation level for each parameter stored in the status information as the evaluation index of the shovel 100 has been described, but the present invention is not limited to the method for calculating the recommendation level, and other modes may be used as long as the information of the shovel 100 is presented based on an evaluation index corresponding to the rental conditions of the user.

In this embodiment, an example has been described in which the recommendation level is used when specifying the placement order. However, the use of the recommendation level is not limited to specifying the placement order, and for example, the display of information on excavators 100 with a recommendation level lower than a predetermined threshold value may be suppressed. Furthermore, the recommendation level may be displayed in association with the excavator on a list screen or the like. Furthermore, the top ten excavators 100 may be displayed on the list screen in order of recommendation level.

In addition, in this embodiment, an example of suppressing the display of information about each item used to calculate the recommendation level has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to a method of suppressing the display of information about each item used to calculate the recommendation level, and for example, the timing of part replacement, etc. may be displayed on a list screen, etc.

In addition, the user terminal 500 can display the search screen shown in FIG. 8 again by receiving a press of the condition re-input button 9002 from the user.

<Examples of the display screen>
For example, if a user wishes to use the shovel 100 for a long period of time, for example, starting two weeks from now and continuing for four months, the user sets the rental period to four months and also sets the size, attachments, and use of the shovel 100 that the user wishes to rent.

In this case, the recommendation level of an excavator 100 that has fewer parts replaced during the rental period is higher. In this way, when the rental period is long, the calculation unit 2108 of the management device 200 may weight the recommendation level based on the load and repairs. As a result, an excavator 100 that has a small load and has not been repaired much is rented out to a long-term user. This makes it possible to prevent breakdowns from occurring during the rental period of the excavator 100. Furthermore, the calculation unit 2108 may weight the recommendation level lower when a repair history exists for a part that generates a load for the inputted use. This makes it possible to prevent a situation in which repairs are required again while the user is using the excavator.

<Processing flow regarding the operation status of excavators>
FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing the process up to when the shovel 100 according to this embodiment transmits the first status information to the management device 200.

The acquisition unit 301 acquires the status of the shovel 100 detected by the shovel status detection device 40 from the shovel status detection device 40 (S1001).

The identification unit 302 identifies the load (low load, medium load, or high load) currently occurring on the shovel 100 based on the acquired situation (S1002).

The registration unit 303 registers the current status of the excavator 100 together with the identified load in the load information storage unit 304 and the status information storage unit 305 (S1003).

The transmission control unit 306 controls the transmission of the information registered in the load information storage unit 304 and the status information storage unit 305 to the management device 200 as first status information (S1004). The timing of the transmission may be any timing. For example, the transmission control unit 306 may transmit the first status information summarized for each day to the management device 200. This allows the management device 200 to manage the current status of the excavator 100.

<Process flow for searching for excavators>
FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing the process up to when the management device 200 according to this embodiment transmits a list of search results.

The reception unit 2106 receives a request to rent an excavator 100 from the user terminal 500 (S1101).

The extraction unit 2107 extracts information about the excavator 100 that matches the rental request (S1102).

The calculation unit 2108 calculates the recommendation level for each shovel from the load, part replacement timing, battery condition, repair costs, etc., based on the evaluation index in accordance with the rental request (S1103). The calculation method is as described above, so a description thereof will be omitted.

The screen generation unit 2109 generates a list screen in which the excavators 100 available for rent are arranged in order of recommendation level (S1104).

Then, the transmission control unit 2110 transmits the list screen to the user terminal 500 (S1105). As a result, information on the excavators 100 sorted in order of recommendation level is displayed on the user terminal 500.

In the above-described embodiment, the case where the rental item is a shovel has been described. However, the above-described embodiment does not limit the rental item to a shovel, and any construction machine may be used. Examples of construction machines include a forklift, a crawler crane, a bulldozer, a wheel loader, an asphalt finisher, and forestry machines.

<Action>
The management device 200 according to the embodiment described above presents a screen on the user terminal 500 showing a list of shovels 100 that match the rental conditions, thereby enabling the user to rent a shovel 100 that meets the rental conditions.

The current usage status of the rentable shovels 100 varies. In this embodiment, the management device 200 has the above-mentioned configuration, and can present shovels 100 based on the evaluation index corresponding to the conditions input by the user and the information (an example of status information of the shovel 100) stored in the shovel setting storage unit 2101, the shovel usage information storage unit 2104, and the rental history storage unit 2105. Therefore, an appropriate shovel 100 can be recommended to the user. This can improve the convenience for the user when renting the shovel 100.

Furthermore, in the list screen of shovels 100 generated by the management device 200 according to the embodiment described above, a recommendation level is calculated from the current state of the shovel 100 based on the evaluation index corresponding to the inputted rental conditions, and shovels 100 that can be rented out are presented according to the recommendation level. In the list screen, the shovels 100 are arranged according to the rental conditions, so that the operational burden on the user until he or she finds an shovel 100 that meets his or her requirements can be reduced.

The management device 200 according to the embodiment described above presents a list of shovels 100 based on the continuity of work when work is performed on the shovel 100 according to conditions input by the user, which are stored in the shovel usage information storage unit 2104. Therefore, since the shovel 100 whose current status satisfies the user's requirements is presented, the operation required to find the shovel 100 that meets the user's requirements can be shortened, thereby reducing the operational burden and improving the user's satisfaction.

The above-described excavator rental management system SYS makes it easy to find an excavator 100 that meets the user's request, making it easy for the user to rent an excavator 100. This makes it possible to improve the operating rate of the excavators 100 that can be provided by the rental company.

The above-described excavator rental management system SYS makes it easy to find an excavator 100 that meets the user's requirements. Therefore, the user can rent an excavator 100 that meets the rental conditions, thereby improving work efficiency.

In the above embodiment, an example was described in which the management device 200 adjusts the recommendation level based on the inputted use and the load history of the shovel 100 up to now. This makes it possible to prevent the load from concentrating on a specific shovel 100 among the shovels 100 available for rent. This makes it possible to reduce the maintenance load on the rental company for the shovels 100.

In the above embodiment, an example was described in which the management device 200 adjusts the recommendation level based on the inputted use and the load history of the shovel 100 up to now. This makes it possible to prevent the load from concentrating on a specific shovel 100 among the shovels 100 available for rent. This makes it possible to reduce the maintenance load on the rental company for the shovels 100.

The above describes an embodiment in which a shovel is used as an example of a construction machine, but the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. Various changes, modifications, substitutions, additions, deletions, and combinations are possible within the scope of the claims. Naturally, these also fall within the technical scope of the present invention.

In other words, the above-mentioned shovel rental management system has been described as an example of a shovel management system applied to a system that manages shovels available for rental and provides a search service, but it may be applied to other types of systems. It may be applied to any system that manages construction machinery available for rental.

SYS Rental management system 100 Excavator 1 Lower traveling body 2 Swing mechanism 3 Upper rotating body 4 Boom 5 Arm 6 Bucket 7 Boom cylinder 8 Arm cylinder 9 Bucket cylinder 11 Engine 30 Controller 301 Acquisition unit 302 Identification unit 303 Registration unit 304 Load information storage unit 305 Status information storage unit 306 Transmission control unit 40 Excavator status detection device 70 Communication device 300 Worker terminal 310 Control device 3101 Maintenance information control unit 500 User terminal 510 Control device 5101 Browser 200 Management device 210 Control device 220 Communication device 2101 Excavator setting storage unit 2102 Acquisition unit 2103 Registration unit 2104 Excavator usage information storage unit 2105 Rental history storage unit 2106 Reception unit 2107 Extraction unit 2108 Calculation unit 2109 Screen generation unit 2110 Transmission control unit

Claims (7)

A storage unit is provided for storing information indicating a status of each excavator to be rented,
when the rental conditions of the shovel are accepted, the shovel is presented based on the information and an index for evaluating whether the shovel, the status of which is indicated in the information, is suitable for use under the conditions,
Excavator management system. The information includes information regarding the continuity of the operation when the excavator is performing the operation.
The excavator management system according to claim 1. The information indicates one or more of a replacement status of parts attached to the shovel, load information indicating a load due to past operations of the shovel, a remaining amount of fuel held by the shovel, a remaining amount of urea water held by the shovel, and an SOC of a battery attached to the shovel.
The excavator management system according to claim 2. The information further includes at least one of a type of attachment provided to the shovel and a type of the shovel.
The excavator management system according to claim 1. The information further includes information regarding a location of the shovel.
The excavator management system according to claim 1. The indicator is a weight used for the information in order to present the shovel, and is configured to be switched depending on the received condition.
The excavator management system according to any one of claims 1 to 3. and generating a screen on which the excavators to be rented are sequentially presented in response to an evaluation of the information based on the index.
The excavator management system according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

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