JP7345090B2 - Storage management system using virtual rental storage - Google Patents

Description

The present disclosure relates to a system that manages storage of items requested by a user.

BACKGROUND ART Conventionally, entrusted goods have been deposited by users in banks' safe deposit boxes or warehouses operated by warehouse companies. In today's housing situation, where living space per household is becoming smaller year by year, the awareness of consignment storage services is increasing, and the number of users and usage of these services is increasing.

As deposited goods storage services become more widespread, the number of stored items per person or per corporation increases, and the management and processing of these items becomes complicated, and there have been cases where deposited items are discarded without adequate management. Regarding the storage and management of deposited items, there is a need for a highly convenient article storage management system that also includes processing thereof.

On the other hand, from the viewpoint of privacy, some users do not want their names, addresses, etc. to be written on the labels affixed to the deposited goods during delivery and storage of the deposited goods. Security concerns have also been raised in that consigned goods during delivery or storage in warehouses may become targets for theft due to label information.

In Patent Document 1, storage instruction information including the user's name, address, and telephone number is transmitted from the operator's server to the warehouse terminal, and the same information is further transmitted to the delivery company, and the storage request is sent to the delivery company from the user's home. It provides a system for picking up items and delivering them to the warehouse, and also assists in sorting and storing requested items by allowing classification codes to be assigned to items requested for storage. It is also possible to apply for peripheral services such as buying and selling individual items requested for storage.

Patent Document 2 discloses a delivery method in which a delivery route terminal equipped with a code recording device reading device and a printing device that reads a barcode recording device attached to a delivered item communicates with a secret location management server via a communication network. By printing the tip, it is possible to send anonymously with an anonymous code, without having to attach a real name or address to the item being shipped.

Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2014-028677 Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2010-140217

However, in the system of Document 1, the warehouse in which the consigned goods are stored is owned by the operator, and if the size or storage conditions are not appropriate, it would be possible to solve the problem by using another company's warehouse. However, since such measures cannot be taken, deposits have to be made within certain limits, depending on the size and attributes of the deposited items. In addition, regarding sorting and organizing requested items by classification, we classify requested items using classification codes and assist in storage management, but this is a function for organizing stored items, and does not actually process items requested for storage. What was classified at each stage could not be applied as is. For example, when there are many items in the sports equipment category, there may be items that you would like to give away to others, items that you would like to sell, or items that are scheduled to be disposed of. In such a case, sales cannot be processed by specifying the category of sporting goods. In the end, we had to proceed with the process one by one. It is possible to dedicate a warehouse for each purpose of processing the entrusted items, but in that case, not only would it be complicated for the user to manage the storage, but also the purpose of processing the entrusted items would change. As a result, we had to change the warehouse at a cost and time.

In addition, since the sender of the labels and invoices for the consigned goods is not anonymous, it is not possible to comply with the client's request for anonymity from the perspective of leaking personal information. The system was a security concern because the possibility of theft could not be ruled out. In addition, the system did not allow detailed control of security, such as disclosing or selling specific deposited items only to specific people.

In the system of Document 2, since an anonymous code record is attached to the delivered item, a reader is required. Furthermore, if a failure occurs in the reader, a problem with the secret location management server, or a communication line failure occurs, reading cannot be performed and delivery problems occur. If the barcode recorder were scratched or scratched, there was a risk that the destination and sender would be unknown, and that no inquiries could be made. In addition, compared to the conventional method, in which the sending terminal prints an invoice (slip) specifying the delivery address using an anonymous barcode for the recipient, and the delivery company then reads and prints the barcode, it is unnecessary. The problem was that it was costly and time consuming.

The present invention has been disclosed in view of the above-mentioned problems, and allows users to organize and store and manage deposited items by purpose in a highly secure state without being tied to an actual physical warehouse. To provide a convenient article storage management system that can easily perform processing for each purpose.

The storage management system using the virtual rental storage facility of the present disclosure is a system that manages the storage of goods entrusted by users, and uses input from a user information terminal via a communication network to A means for the management server to open an account for the virtual rental storage in the user's account in the management server of means for the management server to register a deposited item identifier corresponding to the deposited item in the virtual rental storage warehouse; and means for the management server to register a real storage facility of the storage facility via a communication network. means for the user information terminal or the management server to select an actual storage warehouse in which the deposited item is to be stored; and label information created by the management server that includes the deposited item identifier. means for the management server to confirm with a storage facility information terminal via a communication network that the deposited item with the label attached has been stored in the physical storage; and means for storing storage information in the management server in association with the deposited item identifier.

According to the storage management system using the virtual rental storage facility of the present disclosure, the following effects are achieved. Firstly, it is possible to freely sort and store deposited items in a virtual storage warehouse set in the category desired by the user, without being restricted by the actual storage conditions in which the deposited items are actually stored. Re-sorting can also be easily done without having to move around in a real storage facility since it is a virtual rental storage facility. Second, processing can be performed on a virtual rental storage unit basis. By setting up a virtual rental storage for each purpose and registering the deposited items, it is highly convenient that they can be managed and processed for each purpose. Thirdly, the registered storage capacity of a virtual storage facility is theoretically unlimited. On the other hand, in storage management in the world of physical storage, there are physical limits on the size and number of items to be deposited, and the warehousing business has been operated within these limitations. Fourth, since the virtual storage vault is an account within the management server, access requires a password, making it a highly secure system for managing deposits and withdrawals of deposited items. Fifth, by effectively utilizing the account function, virtual storage facilities can be expanded to a variety of uses. For example, it is possible to give specific, limited people the right to view or use the account.

1 is a diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of a storage management system for deposited items according to the present disclosure. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of a management server. FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing an operational overview of the storage management system of the present disclosure. It is a figure showing an example of deposited goods data stored in a management server. It is a figure which shows the example of a label. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of an external appearance image of a deposited item. FIG. 3 is a diagram schematically showing an operation screen when moving deposited item registration between virtual storage warehouses. It is a schematic diagram for explaining the function of a public virtual rental storage. It is a figure explaining the function when a virtual rental storage is connected to a public virtual rental storage. It is a figure of the attribute setting example of a virtual rental storage. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating the delivery of deposited goods at the time of sale. 3 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a storage process. 12 is a flowchart illustrating another example of a storage process. This is a flowchart for reviewing storage charges based on calculation of the total volume of deposited items. It is a flowchart which shows an example of the process when changing a real storage and a virtual rental storage. 2 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a process for returning deposited items and processing expired deposited items. 3 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a process for authenticating a designated user. 3 is a flowchart illustrating another process for authenticating a designated user. 12 is a flowchart illustrating another example process for authenticating a designated user. 12 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a process for setting up a public rental storage. It is a flowchart which shows an example of the process of performing connection setting of a virtual rental storage. 2 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a buying and selling process for deposited goods. It is a flowchart which shows another example of the process of buying and selling deposited goods. It is a flowchart of a system in which a user and a general user communicate via e-mail via a management server. It is a flowchart of a system in which a user and a general user communicate by telephone via a management server.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. Note that the names of organizations related to the present invention, the names of deposited products, and the names of functions and parts in each figure are merely names for explaining the present invention. Therefore, the functions and parts of the present invention are not limited to only the examples of names and illustrations.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the basic configuration of the storage management system of the present disclosure. A management server 1a of a storage management service institution, a user information terminal 2a, a storage facility information terminal 3a, a financial institution server 6a, and a processing-related business information terminal 7a are connected to a communication network 4 (Internet). The information terminal in the present disclosure is a device that can be connected to a communication network for input and viewing, and includes a personal computer, a server that provides services, or a mobile communication device such as a mobile phone.

The management server 1a has a web server function that operates a homepage that communicates with the user information terminal 2a, a database server function that stores all related data including programs, and a database server function that stores all related data including programs. It is equipped with an application server function that handles the storage and processing of products with related companies, financial institutions, etc. Servers may be separated for each of these functions and function as one server.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of the management server. The management server 1a is connected to the Internet of the communication network 4 through a communication control unit 51 to perform communication. The main control unit 52 performs main data processing and calculations. The input/output control section 53 controls external devices such as an output screen or an attached memory, and also connects and communicates with the storage management service organization information terminal 1b. The image analysis unit 54 has a function of analyzing images of deposited items and images of their labels sent from users or storage facilities. The payment processing unit 55 communicates with financial institutions and payment service institutions via the communication control unit 51 to process remittances and payment confirmations. In addition, the timer 56 provides necessary timekeeping information to each processing unit and manages the storage period of the deposited item.

The database includes a user data file 57 that stores registered information of users, a virtual storage warehouse data file 58 that stores information about registered virtual storage storages, the contents of contracts with users, and the processing status of deposited items. A contract/processing status data file 59 that stores the actual storage facility and its storage facility, an actual storage data file 60 that registers and manages the actual storage facility, and information on processing-related companies that perform various processing such as delivery and disposal of the deposited items. There are a processing related company file 61 to be managed, a program data file 62 storing application software, etc., and in this disclosure, these are collectively referred to as a database. Although it is desirable that these control units and databases are connected via a bus line, the database may be an external memory that is connected via a communication line.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an overview of the operation of the storage management system for deposited items using the virtual rental storage facility of the present disclosure. means for a management server to open a virtual rental storage account in a user's account in a management server of a storage management service organization based on input from a user information terminal via a communication network; and said user information terminal. means for requesting a management server from storage management of the deposited item in the virtual rental storage; means for the management server to register a deposited item identifier corresponding to the deposited item in the virtual rental storage; means for the management server to register a real storage facility of a storage facility via a communication network; means for the user information terminal or the management server to select a real storage warehouse for storing the deposited item; and the management server. means for creating a label using label information including the deposited product identifier created by the management server, and a means for creating a label using label information including the deposited product identifier created by The apparatus includes means for checking with a storage facility information terminal via a communication network, and means for storing information on the actual storage in the management server in association with the deposited item identifier.

The account for the virtual storage facility 10 is created by the user 2 accessing the management server 1a from the user information terminal 2a via the communication network 4, logging into the user account 2b, and creating the account for the virtual storage facility 10. It is created by setting . A plurality of virtual rental vaults 10 can be set, and a password can be set for each. Depending on the wishes of the user 2, the user's account may be set to omit the password and use the virtual storage facility 10.

In the present disclosure, the user 2 is an individual, group, or corporation that communicates with the management server 1a to receive storage management services for the deposited item 8. The users of the management server 1a include, in addition to the aforementioned user 2 who deposits the deposited item 8 in the virtual rental storage 10, the user is allowed to view and use the virtual rental storage of the aforementioned user 2. There are designated users 22 who have accessed the Internet, and general users 23 who view and purchase deposited items published by users on the Internet. Since the management server is accessed from each information terminal, they are shown in FIG. 3 as a designated user information terminal 22a and a general user information terminal 23a. All three parties are users of the management server. Except in situations where the user 2, designated user 22, and general user 23 are separately described, the three parties may be collectively referred to as users.

The user information terminal 2a is an information terminal having a communication function, such as a personal computer, a mobile phone, or a tablet terminal. If the management server 1a provides application software, that software is installed.

The storage management service organization 1 is a corporate organization that utilizes the management server 1a to provide storage management services for the deposited items 8 of the user 2, including processing thereof. The management server 1a is a server operated by the storage management service organization 1, and communicates with the user information terminal 2a, storage facility information terminal 3a, financial institution server 6a, processing-related business information terminal 7a, etc. via the communication network. This is a server that provides services related to storage management, including processing of deposited items.

As described above, the management server 1a is connected to the Internet communication network 4 to communicate with customers and vendors, and provides storage management services for deposited items using the virtual storage warehouse 10. It may be an information device such as a personal computer, or it may be a shared server, a dedicated server, or a virtual server created in a cloud environment. The management server 1a is connected to the storage management service institution information terminal 1b via a data line, and the storage management service institution information terminal 1b is involved in the processing of the management server 1a from time to time, sharing data and providing the storage management service. is being carried out. In the following description, the expression "performed by the management server 1a" includes actions involving the storage management service organization information terminal 1b.

The storage facility 3 that owns the storage facility information terminal 3a is a facility that operates an actual storage warehouse 9 that actually stores the deposited goods 8, and there may be more than one, each of which may have different management, or , may be a warehouse company that owns a plurality of storage facilities, may be a personal warehouse, and may be a warehouse owned by user 2, for example. There may or may not be a capital relationship with the storage management service organization 1. The storage facility 3 registers the real storage 9 it owns with the management server 1a, and reports its operating status to the management server 1a via the communication network 4.

The actual storage 9 refers to a closed space in which the deposited items are stored, or a section of space within that space, and specifically refers to a safe deposit box, a storage cabinet, a storage warehouse, or a specific area within the warehouse. They are partitions, etc., and are each registered with a unique real storage number in the management server 1a. In addition, in this disclosure, in order to avoid confusion with the virtual rental storage 10, the actual storage is expressed as the real storage 9.

In addition, the physical storage 9 may include a physical storage assigned to each user and a mixed physical storage where deposited items of multiple users are stored, and the user can select the physical storage. It may be. Furthermore, depending on the intention of the mixed storage facility 3 and the registration status of the management server 1a, there may be a public real storage and a private real storage. The actual storage 9 may include an actual storage that can be delivered over the counter and an actual storage that cannot be delivered over the counter. Those attributes are registered in the real storage data file of the management server.

The processing-related company 7 receives the processing instruction for the deposited item 8 sent directly or indirectly from the management server 1a in response to the request of the user 2 through the processing-related company information terminal 7a, and then sends it to the storage facility 3. This is a company that processes the deposited goods 8 in cooperation with the company via a communication network, and includes delivery companies, disposal companies, etc. The storage facility 3 may also serve as the processing-related company 7. In this disclosure, "processing" refers to actions performed on stored deposited items according to the user's wishes, such as return, transfer, sharing, sale, loan, auction, labeling, cleaning, etc. These are acts such as donation and disposal.

If the user 2 wishes to perform some kind of processing on the deposited item 8, the user 2 sends the processing details of the deposited item 8 from the user information terminal 2a to the communication network on a per deposited item basis or a virtual storage warehouse basis. 4 to the management server 1a. Thereafter, the management server 1a transmits instructions regarding the processing to the storage facility information terminal 3a and the processing-related business information terminal 7a via the communication network, so that processing is performed for each deposited item or virtual storage warehouse. . FIG. 3 also shows how the processing-related company 7 is delivering for return processing.

The financial institution server 6a is a server of the financial institution 6, which is connected to the communication network 4 and performs remittance or transfer processing between accounts related to settlement of various services provided by the management server 1a. Therefore, the financial institution of the present disclosure is a financial institution in a broad sense, and includes not only financial institutions such as so-called banks, but also online payment service institutions and credit card operators. In addition, in the explanation below, there are some parts where narrowly defined financial institutions such as banks and payment service institutions are intentionally described separately.

It should be noted that each time the deposited goods 8 are deposited, stored, bought and sold, etc., payments and deposits are made from various users to the financial institutions 6 including settlement service institutions via the communication network 4. Since such a routine service does not affect the gist of the explanation of the present disclosure, the detailed deposit/withdrawal and communication processes with the financial institution server 6a are omitted in the following explanation.

In the present disclosure, the deposited item 8 is an item that the user 2 has requested a storage management service organization to store and manage. The management server 1a gives the deposited product identifier 8a to the deposited product 8, and the deposited product identifier 8a is registered in the virtual storage warehouse 10, which constitutes the act of storage and management in the virtual storage facility. The actual deposited items are stored in the actual storage warehouse 9. Note that the deposited item 8 of the present disclosure may indicate an item in a packaged state, or an item packed within a packaged article. In either case, the item described as deposited item 8 is given a deposited item identifier 8a.

Among the deposited goods 8, there are deposited goods in which a plurality of articles are stored in a package, and the user 2 may desire to individually process the articles stored in the package. In such a case, the management server 1a, in response to a request from the user information terminal 2a via the communication network 4, treats the items stored in the deposited items as deposited items and gives each item a deposited item identifier 8a. You may also newly register in the virtual rental storage.

The following are (Opening a virtual storage facility), (Selecting a virtual storage facility and a real storage facility), (Reserving a physical storage facility), (Label), (Receiving storage), (Changing storage facility), ( Maturity), (Processing of returns, etc.), (Designated users and designated virtual storage facilities), (Public virtual storage facilities), (Processing of sales and transfers), (Extension), (Rental), (Communication support) ), (evaluation), and the embodiment of the present disclosure will be explained with reference to FIG. 3 and other supplementary figures.

(Opening a virtual storage facility) The user accesses the management server 1a of the storage management service organization 1 from the user information terminal 2a via the communication network 4, registers as a user, and registers in the user account 2b. Open an account for virtual rental storage 10. It is recommended to set a password to increase security. The user can open multiple virtual rental storage facilities 10, so opening virtual storage facilities 10 for each category or storage purpose of the deposited items with names and classification codes will help sort the deposited items. , which facilitates future batch processing.

(Selection of Virtual Rental Storage and Real Storage) A request to store deposited items is made by logging into the user account 2b of the management server 1a from the user information terminal 2a. The deposited product 8 is given a deposited product identifier 8a composed of alphanumeric characters and other characters by the management server 1a. The deposited item identifier 8a may be the same as the storage contract number exchanged for the deposited item 8. When the user 2 selects the desired virtual rental storage 10 and real storage 9 from those shown by the management server 1a, the deposited item identifier 8a and the actual storage 9 are linked to the virtual rental storage 10 and managed. The information is stored in the server 1a. There is no need to stick to the above steps; for example, after logging in, the user may access the virtual storage facility they wish to deposit and request the deposited item within their virtual storage facility account. .

The virtual storage facility 10 is a virtual storage facility set in the management server 1a by the user 2 using the virtual storage facility creation program of the management server 1a. The user 2 can set up a plurality of virtual rental storages 10 and can register the deposited item identifiers 8a of multiple deposited items 8 in one virtual rental storage 10. Since the deposited item identifier 8a and the real storage 9 are linked, by specifying the deposited item identifier 8a in the virtual rental storage 10 and inputting its processing, the processing of the deposited item 8 in the real storage 9 can be executed. Executed by the management server. Input/output in the real storage warehouse corresponds to registration and deletion in the virtual rental storage facility.

In the example of FIG. 3, when looking at the virtual rental storage warehouse 10, deposited products with deposited product identifiers "123" and "456" are registered. Since the deposited items are in the same category for user 2, they are registered in the same virtual rental storage. The deposited item with the deposited item identifier "123" is stored in the actual storage warehouse "aaa". In this example, the user 2 uses the real storage 9 of mixed loading type, but it may be a real storage dedicated to the user. The deposited product with the deposited product identifier “456” is stored in a different actual storage warehouse “bbb”. The actual storage warehouses "aaa" and "bbb" are not necessarily in the same storage facility, but may be in different storage facilities.

Even if multiple deposited items are stored in different storage locations, the user 2 can collect only the deposited items of the same category and register them for storage in a specific virtual rental storage warehouse 10 for management. Since processing such as disposal can be performed all at once, it is possible to provide users with a convenient storage management environment for deposited items.

Furthermore, since there is no limit to the number, size, or weight of deposited items 8 that can be registered in one virtual storage facility 10, the user can use the virtual storage facility 10 without being restricted by physical factors. In storage managed using the conventional physical storage 9, it is fixed to the contracted physical storage, so even if there are items that you want to add at a later date, they may become full and cannot be added, and each time a new physical storage is added. However, in the virtual rental storage system of the present disclosure, there is no such problem. Therefore, for example, even an extra-large deposited item can be stored and registered in any virtual rental storage as long as there is a real storage somewhere where it can be stored.

Furthermore, procedures for storage and processing services for deposited items can be carried out through communication via the Internet, which is available 24 hours a day. In addition, the user 2 can access the management server 1a anytime and anywhere to learn about the status of the deposited item 8. By selecting the deposited item identifier 8a in the virtual storage warehouse 10, the user 2 can view the storage contract, storage location, image of the deposited item, elapsed time, charge, etc. of the deposited item, and return the item. At times, you can also check the status of shipping and delivery.

The real storage 9 may be selected by the user 2 by extracting candidate real storage from among the real storages registered with the management server 1a. In the case of large consignment items, it may be better to have a physical storage facility in a location where you can directly deposit or pick up the item without incurring shipping charges. The user may check the storage cost, warehouse quality, location, etc. and make a selection. On the other hand, the user may input the size and desired items of the deposited item and leave the selection to the management server 1a, and the appropriate actual storage 9 may be determined by the built-in program. It is possible to save time and effort in selecting users. Information on the selected real storage 9 is linked to the deposited item identifier 8a and temporarily stored in the management server. When it is confirmed that the deposited item 8 has been stored in the actual storage 9, the storage changes from temporary storage to official storage.

The management server 1a may take into consideration the packaging size information of the deposited item 8 and extract an actual storage warehouse that has storage space. The capacity calculation program of the management server 1a compares the allowable capacity data of each actual storage warehouse updated from the storage facility 3 with the packaging size information of the target deposited item 8. In the case of a real storage 9 that already has stored items, the size of the deposited item 8 is compared with the empty space calculated from the size data of all the stored items stored in the actual storage. By confirming the capacity calculation by the management server 1a and selecting it as a candidate for the actual storage 9, erroneous selection can be avoided.

The management server 1a may constantly update the latest usage status of the real storage 9, but it may also check again when selecting the above-mentioned candidates. Further, since there are real storages for users, and mixed real storages, the user selects the real storage 9 that suits the purpose and cost.

(Reservation of actual storage) When the actual storage 9 is selected, the management server 1a makes a reservation for the actual storage 9 in the name of the storage management service organization 1 to the storage facility information terminal 3a via the communication network. At the time of leaving the warehouse, a request for leaving the warehouse is similarly made to the storage facility information terminal 3a in the name of the storage management service organization 1.

FIGS. 4(a) and 4(b) are tables explaining that storage under the name of the storage management service organization 1 of the present disclosure provides high security. FIG. 4(a) is an example of information items for deposited items stored in the virtual rental storage 10 called "Box1." This user 2 has opened a virtual rental storage facility "Box 1" and has deposited four items. An example of how three actual storage warehouses are used to store these four deposited items: storage facility A's actual storage warehouses "A1" and "A2" and storage facility B's actual storage warehouse "B1". It is. In this manner, data such as the user 2, the virtual rental storage 10, the deposited item identifier 8a, the real storage 9, and the storage date are stored in the management server 1a in association with one deposited item. ing. Note that in this example, the expiration date is the same day because the user has set the expiration date for each virtual rental storage "Box 1".

On the other hand, FIG. 4(b) shows data on the deposited item 8 of the user 2, which is owned by the storage facility A shown in FIG. 4(a). The actual storage warehouses 9 related to storage facility A are "A1" and "A2". In Figure 4(a), the column for User 2 is the name of the user of the deposited item, but in Figure 4(b), the reservation is made in the name of the storage management service organization, so the storage management service The institution is the user name. When the items are returned, instructions are given to the storage facility in the name of the storage management service organization. Since user 2's information is not included in the information sent from the management server 1a to the storage facility information terminal 3a, the confidentiality of user 2 in the storage facility 3 is maintained, making storage with high security possible. . Even employees of the storage facility cannot know the true user, that is, the depositor, from the deposited items in the warehouse or from the computer data.

(Label) The label 13, which is an address label for pasting shown in FIG. 3, will be explained. When the actual storage 9 is secured, the user information terminal 2a can obtain label information, which is electronic information of the label 13 and the invoice including the deposited item identifier 8a, from the management server 1a via the communication network 4. . The user 2 attaches a label 13 to the deposited item 8 and sends it to a storage facility. The invoice and label 13 may be transferred from the label information 13a, but they can also be created by outputting an electronic file of label information using the printer 12. The label 13 is not limited to being printed by the user himself, but may be printed at a storage service organization, a retail store, or the like. The deposited product identifier 8a is written on the label and the deposited product 8 delivered to the storage facility 3 is verified by being compared with the deposited product identifier 8a from which the storage facility information terminal 3a has obtained information from the management server 1a.

The management server 1a may set the name of the sender of the label information to the name of the storage management service institution, or may further add a deposited item identifier to the name of the sender. FIG. 5(a) schematically shows an example of the label, and the sender column includes the deposited item identifier "123456" in addition to the address and company name of the storage management service organization.

Since the sender's name is anonymous, people who do not want their personal information leaked can send it with confidence. Furthermore, as shown in Fig. 5(a), if the name of the storage management service organization 1 includes the character string of the deposited item identifier 8a, if the slip is lost during delivery or the delivery address is unknown, , the delivery company can check with the storage management service organization 1 to identify the delivered item. Additionally, the risk of damage to the barcode can be avoided as well.

Such an anonymous sender system using the name of the storage management service organization 1 and the deposited item identifier 8a has an advantage in terms of security. This eliminates temptations such as false pretenses that occur when delivery companies and warehouse operators who actually handle the deposited items see the sender's name on the label, making it possible to deliver and store the deposited items with a high degree of security. Even when a theft targets a storage, the true sender is unknown even by looking at the label, making it impossible to steal a specific stored item.

On the other hand, for users who do not require high security, it is also possible to set the sender's name on the management server 1a so that the sender's name is not uniform and can be selected from a free selection of the sender's name and the name of the storage management service organization. It is.

The label may include a barcode 14a describing a deposited item identifier or a two-dimensional barcode 14b containing more information. In this disclosure, both may be collectively expressed as a barcode 14.

A label barcode will be explained using FIG. 5(a) as an example. On the label 13, a two-dimensional barcode 14b, the Internet address (URL) of the storage management service organization, and the deposited item identifier are written in machine-readable text. The URL barcode and the deposited item identifier barcode may be written as separate barcodes. By using such a barcode 14, transcription errors by the user are eliminated, and receipt confirmation at the storage facility becomes easier and more accurate, improving the accuracy and workability of data entry work. It can also be used as an authentication medium or destination navigation when making deliveries or inventorying consigned goods.

By scanning the two-dimensional barcode 14b with the barcode reading device of the storage facility information terminal 3a, the storage facility 3 directly accesses the management server 1a via the communication network and receives the receipt information data of the deposited item. Can be sent. A series of receipt confirmations between the management server 1a and the storage facility information terminal 3a can be performed smoothly and quickly.

The two-dimensional barcode 14b containing the Internet address (URL) of the storage management service organization 1 and the deposited item identifier is used by a delivery company designated to deliver the deposited item 8 to obtain the destination of the deposited item. It may be used for In other words, when a delivery company registered on the management server scans the two-dimensional barcode 14b with the delivery company's mobile terminal and enters the delivery company's ID and password, the delivery company will receive the delivery destination, delivery date and time of the consigned item from the management server. , or you can get the map directly. Therefore, there is an advantage for the user that the product can be delivered with peace of mind without personal information being written on the label. Delivery companies can also always know the correct delivery destination.

The memo column 40 in the label 13 in FIG. 5(a) will be explained. The label format of the label information created by the management server 1a includes a memo area in which the user can write freely. The memo field 40 is a frame that clearly indicates a memo area, and is a field in which the user writes notes. The memo area is not limited to a frame line, but anything that can indicate the memo area may be used to clearly indicate the memo area.For example, the background color of only that area may be changed. By indicating in advance the predetermined position to write, it is possible to prevent the label notation from becoming crowded and also to prevent the user from forgetting to write.

The content to be entered as a memorandum is at the discretion of the user. It may be used as a signature field for the user, or may be used by the user to memorize the contents. Since the deposited item is stored without being opened, the contents of the deposited item are unknown from the label if the label has high confidentiality of the contents. The user had a potential problem of not being able to check the contents, but by adding a mark that only the user can see in the memo field 40 of the label 13, the user can access the management server during the storage period. By looking at the image of the label 13, you can remember the contents.

The size and character arrangement of the above-mentioned label may be designed by an optimization program owned by the management server 1a according to the package information of the deposited goods provided by the user, and provided to the user in an electronic file. good. In addition, in FIG. 5(a), the barcode 14 and the memo field 40 are written on the same label 13 on which the destination and sender are written, but it is not necessary to write them all on the label, and it is possible to separate them. It's okay. For example, some delivery companies have their own invoices, and in such cases, the barcode 14 of the deposited item identifier 8a may be pasted around the dedicated label.

The pre-issued label, which is an option in the label format, will be explained. In addition to being created after the deposit request is made by the user 2, the label 13 is a pre-issued label that is issued with the deposited item identifier 8a written thereon by the management server 1a before the deposit request is made. There may be. First, the user 2 obtains a label by outputting the label information including the deposited item identifier 8a obtained from the management server 1a via the communication network 4 from the user information terminal 2a, or obtains the label by the storage management service organization. A label on which the deposited item identifier 8a is written is obtained from a third party. After that, when you find a deposited item that you would like to request for storage, read the two-dimensional barcode 14b on the label mentioned above with the portable user information terminal 2a, access the management server via the communication network, and request the deposit. I do. Once the deposit contract is established by entering the necessary information into the management server 1a from the user information terminal 2a described above, the user attaches the label described above to the deposited item and takes it to the storage facility 3 indicated on the label 13. Send. Receipt information is transmitted from the storage facility information terminal 3a to the management server 1a, and the management server 1a confirms the receipt of the deposited product that was contracted for using the deposited product identifier 8a given to the user 2.

The user information terminal 2a sends the image of the object deposited item together with the label shown in FIG. The deposited items may be automatically sorted. In this case, the classification candidates presented by the management server 1a may be confirmed by the user information terminal 2a. Users do not have to spend time worrying about type classification, and can save time and effort in inputting information.

Pre-printed labels are used when users are unable to print labels or want to easily store them. The biggest advantage is that you can attach your own labels, enter the necessary information on your mobile device, and ship immediately. Note that the management service organization may prepare a plurality of labels with different storage locations to give users a wider choice of storage locations.

FIG. 6(a) is a diagram schematically showing an example of a label exclusively for pre-issued standard envelopes. When the user 2, who carries a labeled envelope with him, finds something he wants to deposit, he puts it in the envelope on the spot, attaches the label, and sends the label 13 using the user information terminal 2a such as a mobile phone. The item can be stored by reading the above two-dimensional barcode 14b, accessing the management server, inputting necessary information, and then posting it in a postbox.

FIG. 5(b) shows another form of the label, which may be used by the user 2 when storing using a storage facility operated by the user. In that case, the user 2 uses the virtual rental storage 10 of the management server 1a to classify the deposited items and process them according to purpose, but does not send the deposited items.

The label in FIG. 5(b) may be of a pre-issued type. A two-dimensional barcode 14b containing the URL of the management server and a deposited product identifier is written on the label. The user 2 attaches a label to the item that he/she wants to store and manage, reads the two-dimensional barcode 14b on the label 13 on the spot using the user information terminal 2a such as a mobile phone, accesses the management server 1a, and stores the virtual By specifying a rental storage and inputting predetermined information, registration to the virtual rental storage is completed. By attaching labels to and registering the items in the warehouse that the user manages one after another, users can manage the items in the warehouse on the web.

Next, the authentication mark 41 will be explained with reference to FIG. 6(b). FIG. 6(b) is an example of the back side of the envelope shown in FIG. 6(a). The pattern on the back is an authentication mark 41 drawn by the user 2 for personal authentication. The management server 1a stores images of the deposited item 8 in a database, dividing them into images that are always disclosed to the user 2 and images that are not always disclosed. The user can always view the image of the deposited item 8 and confirm the contents using the memo field, but the image of the authentication mark 41 on the back side may not be disclosed to the user. The image on the back side may be used for identity verification when the user 2 leaves the store or in an emergency when the user 2 has lost his or her ID or password. Specifically, for example, the management server 1a presents the authentication mark 41 along with a plurality of other unrelated images to the user 2 via the communication network, and allows the user 2 to select the correct image. 2 authentication is performed.

The position of the authentication mark 41 is not limited to the back surface, but may be a part of the front surface, or a fixed position may be determined from the beginning. Further, the pattern of the authentication mark 41 may be any pattern, or may be a word or sentence, as long as the person recognizes it as his/her own. Note that, although FIG. 6B shows an example of an envelope, the packaging may take any form.

(Receiving and Storage) Receipt and storage of deposited items at the storage facility 3 will be explained based on FIG. 3. When the storage facility 3 receives the deposited item 8 sent from the user 2, the storage facility 3 reads the deposited item identifier 8a written in the barcode 14 on the label 13 on the deposited item 8 with the barcode reader 20, and sends it to the storage facility information terminal. 3a transmits the included receipt information to the management server 1a via the communication network 4. The management server 1a that has received the receipt information stores the received deposited item identifier 8a in each of the stored data of the management server 1a's user data file, virtual security depository data file, contract/processing status data file, and storage facility data file. The receipt of the deposited item 8 is confirmed by checking with the deposited item 8. Note that if the barcode 14 is not used, the storage facility information terminal 3a may manually input the information on the deposited item identifier 8a and transmit it to the management server 1a via the communication network.

Further, the receipt information may be sent to the management server 1a using the two-dimensional barcode 14b containing the URL of the management server 1a. By scanning the two-dimensional barcode 14b of the deposited item 8 using a mobile information terminal such as a smartphone or tablet, it can be connected to the management server 1a via the communication network 4 and receive receipt information data and photographed images directly. A series of receipt confirmations can be performed smoothly and quickly.

Furthermore, the receipt information may include image data of the deposited item 8 and the label 13 taken with an imaging device 35 such as a camera or a video camera. The management server 1a stores the actual storage 9 and the image data in association with the deposited item identifier 8a. After this, the user 2 can view the status of the deposited item 8 including the image at any time.

When the above-mentioned verification of the receipt information by the management server 1a is completed, the deposited item 8 is stored in the reserved real storage 9 in the storage facility 3. At the same time, the management server 1a starts counting the storage time.

(Change of storage) The management server 1a receives a request from the user information terminal 2a via the communication network 4, and transfers the virtual storage 10 of the deposited item 8 to another virtual storage The actual storage 9 for the item 8 can be changed to another actual storage.

First, we will discuss changes to the virtual rental vault. Changing the virtual storage warehouse 10 is a process of simply changing the link destination of the deposited item identifier 8a within the management server 1a. Specifically, in accordance with the input to change the virtual rental storage from the user information terminal 2a, the management server cancels the registration of the deposited item identifier 8a linked to the virtual storage The deposited item identifier is registered in the rental storage. Since the deposited item 8 is not actually moved, the movement of the virtual storage warehouse 10 is instantaneous.

FIG. 7 schematically shows an example of the operation screen of the user information terminal 2a when changing the virtual rental storage. The list of deposited goods in [Box 3] on the left is a screen that is popped up by clicking on the virtual rental storage column in "Box 3" in the table of "Virtual storage storage setting attributes" on the right. In this example, the deposited item with the deposited item identifier "1111" on the pop-up screen is about to be changed from the virtual rental storage warehouse "Box 3" to the virtual rental storage warehouse "Box 1." User 2 places the cursor on the desired deposited item identifier "1111" on the user information terminal 2a and drags it to "Box 1", and the password for "Box 3" to be delivered is requested, so enter the corresponding one. By entering the password, the transfer between virtual storage facilities is completed. If you have previously set "Box 3" to require no password entry, the virtual rental storage will be changed when you drag it.

As described above, it is possible to change the virtual rental storage for the deposited item 8 without having to go through complicated procedures at the counter, so it is possible to meet the user's convenience. For example, if User 2 has multiple virtual storage facilities for each purpose of use or transfer destination, and for some reason he decides to transfer a particular item to another virtual storage facility, this may be used. Ru.

Next, changes between the actual storage warehouses 9 will be explained. When the user information terminal 2a makes a request to change the actual storage warehouse in which the target deposited item is selected, the management server 1a presents the available actual storage storages to the user, and the user 2 selects the transfer destination from among them. The actual storage 9 is selected and replaced. Once the transfer destination is determined, the management server 1a sends an instruction to transfer the deposited item from the current physical storage to another specified physical storage facility to the source storage facility and destination storage facility. Sent. The above instructions are given in the name of the storage management service organization 1. A specific example would be a case where a user wants to change storage facilities to a storage facility closer to where they are moving, or when the storage capacity of the warehouse that the user manages becomes available, and the user wants to transfer the consigned items from an external warehouse to their own storage facility. In some cases, it is moved to a managed warehouse. Unlike in the past, there is no need to cancel the contract, pick it up, go to a storage facility near the new location and sign a contract, and from the user 2's perspective, the move to the actual storage facility is completed on the user information terminal 2a. do.

(Expiration date) The management server 1a can manage the storage period of the deposited item 8. At the time of the storage contract, the storage period of the deposited item 8 is input from the user information terminal 2a to the management server 1a via the communication network 4 in units of either the deposited item identifier 8a or the virtual storage warehouse 10. . The management server 1a measures the time after the deposited item is stored, and checks the stored storage term from time to time. When the storage period has passed, the management server 1a processes the deposited item according to the contract.

As shown in FIG. 4A, the contract/processing status data file of the management server stores expiry date data for each deposited item. Immediately before the expiration date, the management server 1a may issue an alert to the user information terminal 2a to urge the user 2 to take appropriate actions such as extending the term or leaving the warehouse. When the number of days passes without any procedures being carried out by the user 2 and the expiration date arrives, the management server 1a notifies the user information terminal 2a of the termination of the contract, and the storage facility information terminal 3a and the processing-related business information terminal 7a, the deposited item is processed.

The maturity date can be registered for each deposited item, but it can also be registered for each virtual storage warehouse. In the latter case, the deposited items stored in the virtual storage facility can be processed for maturity at once, so even if the storage locations are scattered, the items stored in the virtual storage facility can be processed in bulk, making it easier for users to 2, it is a convenient system.

(Processing of return, etc.) When the user 2 wishes to return the deposited item 8, the user 2 logs into the user's account in the management server 1a from the user information terminal 2a, and enters the desired deposited item identifier. 8a or the desired virtual rental storage 10 and make a return request. Since it is possible to return items in a virtual rental storage unit, for example, if the number of items deposited in the virtual storage storage is large, or if multiple storage facilities are used, items may be stored in different locations even though they are in the same category. When returning a large number of deposited items at the same time, it is convenient to process them in virtual storage storage units.

The return method may be specified by the user information terminal 2a as mailing, hand delivery directly at the counter, or the like. Collection at a counter may be performed by the user 2 going to the storage facility 3 and logging into the storage facility information terminal 3a.

Note that although the above describes the processing of deposited items called return, the processing of deposited items in this disclosure is not limited to return, but also refers to the handling of stored deposited items, and is referred to as the action of processing. In addition to return, this includes processing methods such as transfer, sharing, sale, loan, auction, labeling, creation of item description, cleaning, donation, and disposal. The processing is input to the management server via the communication network in units of deposited items or virtual storage warehouses. The management server 1a transmits instructions regarding the processing to the storage facility information terminal 3a and the processing-related business information terminal 7a via the communication network 4, whereby processing is performed for each deposited item or virtual storage warehouse.

(Designated User and Designated Virtual Storage Depot) In the present disclosure, the user information terminal 2a allows users to use the virtual storage facility via the communication network so that other users can also use the user's virtual storage facility. It is provided with means for setting a designated virtual rental storage facility that others can use or view in the same way as the user 2, and a designated user 22 who is permitted to use or view the aforementioned designated virtual rental storage storage facility. Regarding the designated user 22, the qualification conditions of the designated user 22 are inputted by the user information terminal 2a, and the management server certifies the user who meets the aforementioned qualification conditions as the designated user 22 and certifies the designated user 22. The specified user 22 is enabled to log in to the specified virtual rental storage account.

The designated user 22 in FIG. 3 is an individual or corporation who can view or use the virtual rental storage 10 specified by the user 2 in the same way as the user 2, and opens the virtual storage 10. specified by the user 2 who has done so. The designated users 22 include at least designated users who can use the designated virtual rental storage facility in the same way as other users, and designated users who can only use the designated virtual rental storage for browsing. For example, if user 2 wants to jointly use the deposited items in a specific virtual rental storage facility with designated user 22, or wants to allow designated user 22 to view a specific virtual rental storage facility, etc. Then, the user 2 opens the above-mentioned designated virtual rental storage 10 to the designated user 22.

Furthermore, the user 2 may designate a designated user 22 in case the user 2 dies or becomes unable to respond to the management server. The qualification condition for the designated user 22 may include a condition that the authentication be performed after the death of the user 2, and the authentication may be performed after the death of the user 2. If the death of user 2 is discovered through periodic checks performed on user 2 from the management server via the communication network or through contact from the bereaved family, the management server uses the authentication method specified by user 2. 1a communicates with the designated user 22 and authenticates the designated user 22 designated by the user 2. During the authentication process, the designated user 22 may be required to provide identification, proof of relationship, etc.

In case the user 2 dies or becomes unable to respond to the management server, the user 2 may prioritize a plurality of designated users 22 and register them in the management server 1a. By doing so, if there is some kind of trouble in which the higher-priority designated users cannot receive the mail, the lower-ranked designated users can deal with it.

The qualification conditions of the designated user 22 input by the user 2 and the method of authentication thereof can take several forms as follows.

In the first form of qualification conditions and authentication, the designated virtual storage facility, designated user, and their qualification conditions are input from the user information terminal 2a and stored in the database of the management server 1a. The management server 1a authenticates the designated user 22 via the communication network 4 according to the authentication method input by the user 2, and after the authentication, allows the designated user 22 to log into the account of the designated virtual storage warehouse from the account. This allows the designated user 22 to be a user other than the user of the designated virtual rental storage facility described above.

The authentication method is set by the user 2 selecting one from the authentication methods presented by the management server 1a, by adding an original authentication method by the user 2, or by leaving it up to the management server 1a. However, in any case, the will of the user 2 is included. By conforming to the will of the user 2, the appropriateness of the authentication method of the designated user 22 can be increased.

When the above-mentioned authentication is completed, the management server 1a allows access to the virtual rental storage 10 specified by the user 2 from the account of the designated user 22. By inputting the password passed from the management server 1a, the designated user 22 can access the above-mentioned specific virtual storage 10 of the user 2, and like the original user 2, the designated user 22 can access the virtual storage 10. Storage 10 becomes available.

In the second form of qualification conditions and authentication, the qualification conditions of the designated virtual storage warehouse and the designated user 22 are input from the user information terminal 2a, stored in the database of the management server, and have an account on the management server 1a. When the management server 1a determines that another user satisfies the designated user conditions, the management server 1a designates the designated user 22 and changes the designated user's account to the designated virtual storage warehouse account. This is a form that allows you to log in to.

The third qualification condition and form of authentication is that, in the settings from the user information terminal 2a, the qualification condition of the designated user of the designated virtual rental storage is that he or she is the owner of the URL and password of the designated virtual rental storage. It is a form. The password for the target designated virtual rental storage is set by the user or the management server, and is stored in the database of the management server. By entering the URL and password of the designated virtual rental storage facility mentioned above, it is possible to log into the account of the designated virtual storage storage facility. Therefore, the person who receives the URL and password of the designated virtual rental storage from the user 2 can become the designated user 22.

In addition, there are designated virtual rental storage facilities that can be used by the designated user 22 in the same way as user 2, and designated virtual rental storage facilities that can only be viewed. The level at which the rental storage can be used and the viewing level may be set in more detail.

If user 2 sets a designated user 22 who can use a specific virtual storage facility together with user 2 while user 2 is alive, user 2 and designated user 22 can use the virtual storage facility together. It will be used jointly. By setting up a virtual rental storage 10 that can be used by a group of people, it is possible to exchange deposited items.

(Public virtual rental storage) When the user 2 wants to sell, lend, transfer, or donate the deposited item to the general public, the user 2 can access the virtual rental storage 10 on the homepage of the management server 1a. The deposited item 8 can be made available to general users 23. When the user 2 sets a specific virtual storage facility 10 of the user 2's account as a public virtual storage facility via the communication network 4, the management server 1a registers it as the public virtual storage facility. The stored items are published on the Internet according to the classification and processing classification given to the deposited items 8 by the user 2.

A public virtual storage facility can be an account with a URL. Not only can it be connected to the management server's home page, but it can also be linked to other web pages. In that case, the link is a link via the management server, and the management server mediates transactions with general users.

The general user 23 of the present disclosure is an individual, a corporation, or an organization that accesses the home page of the management server via the Internet communication network 4 to view and purchase the publicly available deposited items 8. It should be noted that the general user 23 needs a user account when making a transaction such as purchasing a deposited item, so he registers with the management server 1a and creates a user account. For example, on the homepage 26 operated by the management server, the deposited items in the public virtual rental vaults of all users are summarized by genre and made public for easy viewing by general users, and various public virtual rental vaults are displayed. It is also possible to publish the information for each warehouse along with its characteristics. Alternatively, the information may be classified and published according to processing items such as sale, transfer, donation, rental, viewing only, etc. Displaying items for viewing only can be used to display collectibles collected by individuals as a hobby, or if there is someone who is interested, you may consider giving them away, depending on the recipient. It may also be the publication of a product. Such usage would eliminate opportunity losses caused by mismatched supply and demand timing, and provide a platform to promote the recycling cycle of unused items that would otherwise be potential waste. .

FIG. 8 is a diagram explaining the mechanism of the public virtual rental storage 42. There are accounts for user A and user B. User A has an account for a private virtual storage facility 10 and a public virtual storage facility 42 that is set to public, and user B has an account for a public virtual storage facility 42 that is set to be public. I have an account for rental storage 42. In each virtual rental storage, the deposited item identifier 8a of the deposited item 8 stored in the real storage 9 is registered, as shown by the dotted line. The home page of the management server shows that only the deposited items registered in the public virtual rental storage 42 are made public, and that the deposited items in the private virtual rental storage 10 are not made public.

The moment a deposited item identifier 8a is newly registered in the public virtual rental storage 42, it is automatically published on the homepage 26 by the management server 1a. When the public setting of the public virtual rental storage facility 42 is closed, all deposited items registered in the public virtual rental storage facility 42 disappear from the screen display of the home page 26.

Further, it is also possible to connect the public virtual rental storage 42 with a normal virtual storage storage 10 . When the user 2 inputs the setting to connect any virtual rental storage 10 to the public virtual storage 42, the management server is registered with the virtual storage 10 mentioned above while the connection is set. The deposited items are regarded as items in the public virtual rental storage 42 and made public on the Internet according to their classification and processing classification.

FIG. 9 explains the connection function of the virtual rental storage. When the user information terminal 2a accesses the management server 1a via the communication network and sets the connection 45 of the private virtual rental storage 10 to the public virtual rental storage 42, the line indicated by the linking broken line 50 During the connection, all the deposited items in the virtual storage warehouse 10 are made public on the home page 26. Linking is a convenient function for users because it is easy to make the virtual rental storage public or private by turning the link ON/OFF.

FIG. 10 is a schematic list of setting examples of the virtual rental storage 10 that the user 2 has set and is using. Each virtual storage facility is given a name, classified as public or private, and its connection status to the public storage facility is registered, as well as processing such as sale, loan, transfer, donation, or viewing only, and other attributes. It shows how it is set. The user in this example has set up five virtual storage facilities, gives each one a name, and deposits the deposited items in the category desired by user 2. These settings are made in each virtual rental storage account, but the settings may also be made on a list of virtual storage storages as shown in FIG. 10.

For example, if you look at the virtual rental storage box "Box 3" that is set to be open to the public in FIG. 10, it is used as a public virtual rental storage storage with the processing category "sale". All deposited items registered in "Box 3" are published on the management server's homepage as salable items along with their prices. The management server 1a may add various costs and display the price and sales conditions based on data input by the user 2 to the management server 1a. It is possible to sell the deposited items individually or to sell all of the public virtual rental storage at once. "Transfer" is registered in the "Final processing (after death)" column of "Box 3", and the transferee is registered in the "designated user" column together with the priority order. In addition, a second processing method is also registered in case all the registered transferees refuse or die.

On the other hand, since "Box 2" and "Box 4" are "connected" to "Box 3", the deposited items registered in these two virtual storage facilities are displayed on the homepage as items to be displayed and transferred, respectively. is open to the public. Furthermore, it can be seen that "Box 5" is a virtual storage facility that is shared with "Mr. D."

In addition, it is possible to set the processing such as sale, loan, transfer, donation, or viewing only for each deposited item, but if the settings differ from the settings for the virtual storage warehouse, one of them will take priority. may be set in advance. Furthermore, within the user 2's account, it is also possible to search for deposited items across all virtual storage facilities. Regarding the deposited items published on the homepage of the management server, all items may be searched.

(Processing of sale and transfer) Processes such as sale and transfer of the deposited item 8 published by the user 2 are managed by the general user 23 in FIG. 3 via the communication network 4 from the general user information terminal 23a. The user 2 accesses the home page of the server 1a, logs in to the management server 1a, and inputs an inquiry regarding the deposited item that is open to the public for the processing purpose specified by the user 2. The management server 1a communicates with the general user information terminal 23a via the communication network 4, establishes a transaction such as sale or transfer of the deposited item 8, and when the transaction is established, processes the deposited item 8. Notify the instruction to the storage facility information terminal 3a and the related processing-related business information terminal 7a, confirm the completion of the processing, delete the registration of the deposited item 8 in the virtual rental storage warehouse, and notify the public that the processing has been completed. The user information terminal 23a and the user information terminal 2a are notified.

FIG. 11 is a diagram schematically showing a method of delivering the deposited item 8 to the general user 23 who is the purchaser in the sale or transfer of the deposited item. The relationship between the deposited item 8 stored in the real storage 9, registered in the public virtual rental storage 42, and published on the homepage 26 of the management server's homepage is indicated by a linking broken line 50. When the general user 23 makes an inquiry regarding the deposited item 8, he/she does so from the general user account 23b. When the management server 1a communicates with the general user information terminal 23a via the communication network 4 and the processing conditions for the deposited item 8 are established, the management server 1a sends processing instructions for the deposited item 8 to the storage facility information terminal 3a and the processing related information terminal 3a. A notification is sent to the vendor information terminal 7a to cause the deposited item 30 to be sent out from the actual storage warehouse 9, and the deposited item 8 is delivered to the general user 23. The management server 1a confirms that the processing of the deposited item is completed, deletes the registration of the deposited item identifier 8a, and notifies the general user information terminal 23a and the user information terminal 2a.

The deposited item 8 may be delivered by mail delivery, direct delivery to a warehouse, or the like. By looking at the location of the actual warehouse published on the homepage, general users can also choose to have the item delivered directly to the warehouse.

On the other hand, the delivery of the deposited goods can be completed not only by taking the goods out of the warehouse as described above, but also by moving the goods between virtual rental storages, taking advantage of the characteristics of virtual rental storages. When the general user 23 logs into the management server 1a and inputs, via the communication network 4, an inquiry regarding the deposited item 8 that has been published for the processing purpose specified by the user 2, the management server 1a 4, the management server 1a communicates with the general user information terminal 23a to establish a transaction such as purchase and transfer of the deposited item 8, and when the transaction including payment is completed, the management server 1a 11, in which the registration of the deposited item identifier 8a in the public virtual rental storage 42 of 2 is deleted, and the registration of the deposited item identifier 8a is registered in the virtual rental storage 10 of the general user 23. The handover can be completed by the movement 32.

When the deposited item is transferred in the movement 32 between virtual storage warehouses, the deposited item is stored as is in the original real storage warehouse. Since the label 13 of the deposited item 8 only includes the deposited item identifier 8a and the sender's name of the storage management service organization, there is no need to replace the label or change the deposited item identifier 8a. Such label specifications of the present disclosure enable the owner of the deposited product to be changed while the deposited product 8 in the actual storage 9 remains unchanged. After moving 32 between virtual rental storage facilities, the general user can use his or her own virtual storage storage facility 10 to take out or sell items at a convenient time.

(Extension) A suffix extension can be added to the deposited product identifier 8a as a derivative identifier of the original deposited product identifier. When you want to keep the relationship with the original deposited product identifier in the deposited product identifier of a deposited product that has been re-entered after leaving the warehouse, or when you want to give a new deposited product identifier to multiple individual items stored in the deposited product. , an extension may be used when it is desired to preserve the relationship with the original deposited item identifier. It becomes easier to recognize the original deposited item identifier in which the individual item was stored as the parent.

For example, in cases where deposited items stored in a shared virtual storage facility are repeatedly taken out and stored due to shared use, the extension By using serial numbers, there is an advantage that the number of times of use can be managed, and furthermore, it is possible to record on the management server who used what number.

(Rental) When the general user information terminal 23a logs into the management server and inputs, via the communication network 4, an inquiry for borrowing the deposited item published for rental purposes, along with the desired borrowing period, the management server At the stage when 1a completes the borrowing transaction for the deposited item 8 with the general user information terminal 23a, the management server 1a displays the loan period and the status of loan in the deposited item display column of the home page 26, and 8 is sent to the storage facility information terminal 3a and the processing-related business information terminal 7a to complete the delivery of the deposited goods.

In the rental process, during the rental period, the target deposited item is not deleted from the homepage, but the notation is changed to indicate that it is being rented. Since the item has actually been taken out from the actual storage facility, it is normally not registered in the virtual rental storage facility and cannot be posted on the website. It is possible to notify general users and designated users by labeling the information, thereby facilitating use. If there is no such behavior, the deposited item to be reused may suddenly disappear from the virtual storage warehouse and suddenly reappear, and other general users will not know the period for which it will be borrowed. , it becomes difficult to use. Since other rental applicants can be supported in making usage plans, usage can be done without confusion. Regarding the return of the lent deposited item 8, upon receiving a return notification from the borrower, the management server 1a confirms the return to the storage facility information terminal 3a via the communication network. As soon as confirmation is obtained, the display indicating that the deposited item is on loan will be removed from the public page.

Although rental processing has been explained above as an example, the present invention can also be applied to shared use where deposited items are borrowed and used. In the case of shared use where the number of users is limited, it is also possible to set that the physical storage to be returned after use does not have to be the physical storage from which the storage was taken out. For example, if an item from a warehouse far away is taken out and used, it can be stored at a nearby warehouse and returned. If the borrower has registered his own warehouse as a real storage in the management server, he can also use it. Consigned items are often stored in warehouses near people who use them frequently, reducing unnecessary shipping costs overall.

(Communication support) The management server 1a provides access numbers to the user and the general user, and means for linking each e-mail address or telephone number to the access number; By accessing via a communication network or telephone line and entering the recipient's access number, the management server 1a can send an e-mail from the sender to the recipient, or send a phone call between the sender and the recipient. A means for making a connection, and a means for the management server 1a to hide the e-mail addresses of the sender and the recipient from the other party, and hide the telephone numbers of the sender and the recipient from the other party. It may also have the following.

The deposited item 8 that is publicly available on the homepage of the management server 1a has a description of the item by user 2, but that may not be enough, so communication between user 2 and general user 23 is necessary. The management server provides a place where communication can take place via the network. Communication is not limited to text, but may also be performed using voice or images. It should be noted that the content of the communication may include price negotiations and transaction contracts if these are permitted.

According to the above communication means, an environment is provided in which questions and negotiations regarding deposited goods to be sold or transferred can be directly conducted while ensuring the security of personal information.

(Evaluation) The management server 1a aggregates the evaluations of others involved in each operation of the user 2, storage facility 3, processing-related company 7, and general user 23, and ranks the evaluations. Good too. Since the real names of the user 2 and the general user 23 are kept secret, they are evaluated based on the access number and public virtual rental storage name. The evaluation is performed using the management server's evaluation software, which analyzes data such as hearings from users 2 who use the actual storage and processing-related businesses 7, in addition to operational records of the actual storage stored by the management server 1a. It is done as follows. The collected evaluation data may reflect not only evaluation scores and rankings but also review comments in the evaluation column of the homepage of the management server 1a. .

This type of mutual assessment supports user and vendor selection and has the effect of encouraging improvements. For example, when the user 2 selects the actual storage 9, the ranking and review comments are helpful. Further, while the data is useful for the user 2, it also has the effect of encouraging improvements on the storage facility side.

The management server may delete the registration or deny access to individuals or corporations whose evaluation results fall below the permissible range entered in the management server, in order to improve the health of the management.

Examples of each process will be described below using flowcharts.

(Process from opening of virtual rental storage facility to storage) FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing an example of a process from opening of a virtual rental storage facility to storage of deposited items. A user's account is created by the user making input from the user information terminal 2a to the management server 1a via the communication network and performing user registration 15. A virtual storage facility is installed when a user logs into a user account 16 and applies for and inputs the request for opening 17 a virtual storage facility. A user can open multiple virtual rental storage facilities, and can register deposited item identifiers corresponding to multiple deposited items in one virtual rental storage facility.

When storing the deposited item, the user who logs in 16 to the virtual storage warehouse via the communication network from the user information terminal 2a makes a storage request 19 for the deposited item.

The management server 1a that receives the storage request 19 assigns a deposited product identifier 8a to the deposited product. The actual storage where the deposited item is actually stored is determined from the actual storage information 28 that the management server 1a has obtained from one or more storage facilities via communication lines. The procedure for determining the real storage 9 is that the management server selects a real storage that matches the user's desired conditions input from the user information terminal 2a or the attributes of the deposited item from the plural pieces of real storage information 28. There may be a form in which the user extracts the information and selects it from among them using the user information terminal 2a, or a form in which the user leaves the information to the management server.

After the actual storage 9 is determined, a deposit contract 39 is exchanged between the user and the storage management service organization via a communication network, and procedures for paying fees (not shown) are performed. If the selected real storage 9 cannot be reserved for some reason, the management server 1a extracts the candidate real storage 9 again, presents it to the user information terminal 2a, and the real storage 9 is reselected. .

After the deposit contract 39 is concluded, the user information terminal 2a obtains the label information 13a including the deposited item identifier 8a from the management server 1a via the communication network, and prints out the label 13. The label 13 is affixed to the deposited item 8 and sent to a storage facility. Label 13 includes machine readable text, such as a barcode of a deposited item identifier.

When the deposited item 8 is delivered from the user 2, the storage facility uses a scanner to read the barcode on the label 13 affixed to the deposited item 8, confirms receipt of the deposited item, and then sends the storage facility information via the communication network. A receipt report is sent from the terminal 3a to the management server 1a, with the deposited item image 25 including the label attached. The management server compares the deposited item identifier 8a with the database of the deposit contract 39 (24), and then transmits a storage instruction to the storage facility information terminal 3a. In response, at the storage facility, the deposited item 8 is stored 11 in the actual storage warehouse reserved for the deposited item. Furthermore, the management server 1a starts measuring 34 the storage time.

FIG. 13 is a flowchart of another archiving process. This is a process that uses a pre-issued label, where the label is prepared before it is deposited by the user. The label 13 in FIG. 5(a) is a label for the above-mentioned process, but it can also be a pre-issued label, and the URL, which is the address of the management server, and the deposited product identifier 8a are written on the two-dimensional barcode. . The user 2 obtains the label information 13a from the management server 1a via the user information terminal 2a, and prints the label 13. The label 13 includes a deposited item identifier 8a and a destination storage facility. The user 2 may purchase and obtain a label printed by a storage management service organization or another corporation based on the label information provided by the management server 1a.

Storage of the deposited goods 8 is carried out using the aforementioned labels. First, the user reads the two-dimensional barcode on the pre-issued label using the user information terminal 2a such as a mobile phone and accesses the management server 1a via the communication network. The URL of the management server and the deposited item identifier 8a are written on the two-dimensional barcode. Since the application software provided by the management server is installed in advance on the user information terminal 2a, the management server receives the deposited item identifier 8a included in the two-dimensional barcode from the user information terminal 2a, and the usage information. The user can log into the user account by simply receiving the user account ID stored in the user information terminal 2a and entering the password from the user information terminal 2a. Thereafter, the user enters the storage request 19 on the displayed user account screen.

Next, selection 18 of a virtual rental storage is performed using the user information terminal 2a. If a virtual rental storage is not set, a new virtual rental storage is opened 17. Next, the user information terminal 2a selects a real storage and concludes a deposit contract 39 with the management server 1a. Thereafter, the user 2 sends the deposited item 8 with the above-mentioned label 13 attached to the storage facility 3. The storage facility information terminal 3a that has received the deposited item 8 sends the deposited item image 25 including the label to the management server 1a, and waits for a storage instruction after the management server 1a confirms the comparison 24 with the deposit contract contents. , stored in the actual storage described above. As described above, as long as the user carries the label 13 and the user information terminal 2a, the user can easily register and store deposited items in the virtual rental storage facility anytime and anywhere. It is an easy and convenient process for users, as they can be shipped on the spot without the need to print labels.

In addition, as a special case of the storage process, storage may be performed using a storage facility managed by the user. The process is the same until the user logs in 16 to the virtual rental storage facility in FIG. 12 or 13 and makes a storage request 19. Since the user uses a storage facility that he/she manages for storage, the user selects an actual storage facility operated by the user that has been registered in advance with the management server, and concludes a deposit contract with the management server. Thereafter, the user 2, acting as the storage facility 3, transmits the deposited item image 25 including the label to the management server 1a, waits for a storage instruction from the management server, and stores the deposited item in the user's actual storage. Users can carry the label 13 and the user information terminal 2a and easily register in the virtual rental storage while doing storage work in the storage they manage, making it easy for users to organize stored items as deposited items. It's a convenient system.

FIG. 14 is a flowchart illustrating a process in which the management server calculates the total volume of the user's deposited items for each storage facility and reviews the storage fee together with the storage facility. This is the flow that is performed in the process of reaching a contract after selecting the actual storage shown in FIGS. 12 and 13 above. The management server 1a calculates the total volume of all the user's deposited items in the actual storage 9 using the data stored in the contract database. The management server 1a compares the total volume with the fee list set for each volume of the storage facility, and if it is determined that the storage fee can be reduced, it notifies the storage facility information terminal 3a to reduce the storage fee for the deposited item. You may also reset the settings.

(Process related to change of actual storage warehouse) The middle part of FIG. 15 is a flowchart when the stored deposited items are moved between actual storage warehouses. The user information terminal 2a accesses the management server 1a, specifies the deposited product identifier 8a of the target deposited product, and makes a request to change the actual storage. After the management server 1a collates 24 with the database, it presents the real storage information 28 to the user information terminal 2a, asks the user to select the desired real storage 9, and selects the storage facility where the real storage 9 is located. A reservation 27 of the actual storage is made on the information terminal 3a. Thereafter, a storage change instruction is sent to the management server 1a, the source and destination storage facilities, and the processing related companies. Specifically, the source is notified of shipping and delivery, and the destination is notified of the reservation of the physical storage and preparation for receiving the item. Through the above process, the deposited item is transferred to a new actual storage within the storage facility or between the storage facilities. Finally, the management server 1a sends notification of completion of the actual storage change to the user information terminal 2a, and the change is completed.

(Process related to changing virtual rental storage) The lower part of FIG. 15 is a flowchart when changing the virtual storage for deposited items to another virtual storage. The user information terminal 2a accesses the account of the virtual rental storage via the communication network, selects the deposited item identifier of the target deposited item, requests to change the virtual storage, and transfers the virtual storage to the destination virtual storage. Enter the warehouse. After checking 24 the user's request against the stored data, the management server 1a performs a process of changing the movement 32 between virtual rental storages as desired by the user 2. Since there is no actual movement of the deposited item 8, the process is completed instantly.

Note that in order to proceed with the process easily, a setting may be made in advance to skip the password entry for the virtual rental storage on the exit side within the same account.

(Process related to return) The upper part of FIG. 16 is a flowchart of the return process. If the user 2 wishes to return the deposited item 8, the user accesses the management server 1a from the user information terminal 2a, specifies the virtual storage warehouse to be returned or the deposited item identifier, and returns the item. Perform request 29. The management server 1a compares the contents of the request with the database 36 24, and if there is no problem with the contents of the return request 29, obtains the destination information from the user information terminal 2a, and further confirms the fee payment from the user. A shipping instruction is given to the storage facility information terminal 3a and the processing-related business information terminal 7a. Delivery notification from the processing related company information terminal 7a is transmitted to the management server 1a, and shipping information is further transmitted from the management server 1a to the user information terminal 2a to complete the return. Note that the storage facility may also serve as a delivery service.

As for shipping, the user may request to have the item sent by mail, or may request that the item be delivered directly at the counter. Collection at the counter may be performed by the user logging into the management server 1a from the storage facility information terminal 3a at the counter of the storage facility. Further, the return instruction from the management server 1a to the storage facility information terminal 3a via the communication network may be made in the name of the storage management service organization, and in this case, the storage management system becomes highly secure for the user.

(Process related to expiration) The lower part of FIG. 16 is a flowchart when the expiration date has come. In the database 36, the storage period of deposited items is stored in the management server 1a for each deposited item or for each virtual storage warehouse. The management server 1a measures the elapsed time 34 from the start of storage, and the user can check the elapsed time at any time using the user information terminal 2a.

The management server 1a uses the stored expiration management program to check 24 the storage period data in the database 36 and the clock data at predetermined intervals, and when the storage period is within a predetermined time near the storage period, the user information terminal 2a Contact. Upon receiving the notification, the user information terminal 2a performs a storage period extension procedure or inputs a return procedure. When further time elapses and the storage deadline is reached, the management server 1a also notifies the user information terminal 2a of the termination of the contract, and performs storage termination processing. The storage termination process is executed by the management server 1a, that is, by the storage management service organization, according to the contract details.

(Process related to designated virtual rental storage facility and designated user) The present disclosure provides a means for allowing others to use the user's virtual storage storage facility. A process for setting a designated virtual storage facility that can be used or viewed in the same way as a user and a designated user who can use or view the designated virtual storage facility will be described below.

FIG. 17 is a flowchart showing a first form of authentication of a designated virtual rental storage facility and its designated user. First, the user information terminal 2a selects a virtual rental storage 18 and sets the designated virtual rental storage 37. Select whether the virtual rental storage facility can be used in the same way as the user or the virtual storage storage facility that only allows viewing, and set the attributes of the designated virtual storage storage facility. Next, the designated user and qualification authentication conditions for the designated virtual rental storage are inputted by the user information terminal 2a, and are stored in the database of the management server 1a.

A person who becomes a designated user registers 15 as a user in the management server 1a from the designated user information terminal 22a, and makes a request to use the designated virtual rental storage facility. The management server 1a authenticates the designated user 22 via the communication network 4 according to the authentication method input by the user 2, and after the authentication, allows the designated user 22 to log into the account of the designated virtual storage warehouse from the account. The specified user 22 is a user other than the user 2 of the above-mentioned specified virtual rental storage.

The above-mentioned first form of authenticating the qualifications of a designated user can be used even when the user has passed away. During his lifetime, the user 2 makes the virtual rental storage facility in which the items he wishes to transfer after his death are registered the designated virtual rental storage storage facility 37, and sends the designated user nomination and qualification authentication conditions 71 to the user via the communication network. It is input from the information terminal 2a to the management server 1a. The qualification authentication conditions include the fact that activation occurs after the death of User 2. Note that the authentication method may be selected by the user 2 from among a plurality of patterns prepared by the management server.

When user 2 dies, the designated user requests the use of the designated virtual rental storage. As shown in the latter half of FIG. 17, the designated user accesses the management server 1a from the designated user information terminal 22a via the communication network 4, performs user registration 15, and authenticates the designated user 22. receive. The management server 1a requests a response from the designated user according to the contents of the user registration 15 of the designated user 22 and the qualification conditions entered by the user before death, compares the obtained contents with the stored data, and designates the designated user. Authentication 38 of the user 22 is performed. The management server 1a, together with the storage management service organization information terminal 1b, verifies the identity of the designated user as the case may be. After the authentication 38 is completed, the management server 1a sets up access to the designated virtual storage warehouse from the account of the designated user 22, and at the same time notifies the designated user 22 of the password. Thereafter, the designated user 22 can use the aforementioned designated rental virtual storage. There are other forms of authentication for designated users, which will be explained below.

FIG. 18 is a flowchart of a second example of authentication of a designated user. What is different from the second form is that the management server 1a determines that another user who has an account on the management server 1a satisfies the specified user condition 71 for the designated user. In this case, the management server 1a automatically designates the user as the designated user 22. The owner of the account that satisfies the authentication conditions becomes the designated user, is notified of the password, and is able to access the designated virtual rental storage account.

FIG. 19 is a flowchart of a third example of authentication of a designated user. In the third form, in the qualification authentication condition 71 of the designated user 22, a condition of approval using a URL and password is specified from the user information terminal 2a. The password is determined by the user 2 or the management server 1a and stored in the database of the management server, and the user enters the URL, ID, and password of the target virtual storage warehouse into the management server via the user information terminal 2a. can be obtained from. The designated user 22 becomes able to use the specific virtual rental storage facility by receiving the URL and password of the designated virtual rental storage facility from the user 2. In addition, in order to function only after the death of the user 2, the specified user qualification authentication conditions 71 entered and registered by the user 2 in the management server 1a include the fact that it is after the user's death, and the specified user However, it may be input that the user presents proof of the user's death.

(Process related to public virtual rental storage) FIG. 20 is an example of a flowchart related to the setting of a public virtual rental storage. The public virtual storage facility is a virtual storage facility in which information about registered deposited items is made public on the homepage of the management server 1a, and from another perspective, it is connected to the homepage of the management server 1a. It is a virtual rental storage facility. Therefore, all items registered in the public virtual rental storage are made available to the public via the communication network. The user can set any virtual rental storage facility to be public on the management server 1a to make it a public virtual storage storage facility.

The user logs into the virtual storage facility to be set to public via the user information terminal 2a, and then clicks on the "Set to public" button. Thereafter, the user information terminal 2a selects and sets "Public" from among the selections of private, designated public, and public public presented by the management server. If you specify public access, it will be open to everyone connected to the Internet communication network. The public virtual rental storage facility in this disclosure refers to a virtual rental storage facility that is open to the public.

FIG. 21 is an example of a flowchart when making settings to connect a private virtual rental storage to a public virtual rental storage. The user logs in 16 to the virtual rental storage facility 10 that he/she wishes to connect to the public virtual rental storage facility and make public via the user information terminal 2a, clicks the connection setting button, and selects the public virtual rental storage facility to be linked. Specify the warehouse 42. The management server 1a receives input from the user information terminal 2a and connects the above-mentioned virtual rental storage 10 to the public virtual rental storage 42. Then, the deposited items in the connected virtual rental storage warehouses 10 become publicly available on the homepage of the management server 1a, just like the items in the public virtual rental storage storage 42.

To cancel the connection, the user logs in to the virtual rental storage facility that has been set to be connected via the user information terminal 2a, and then clicks the button 45a to unlink the connection, and the connection is canceled and the virtual storage storage is The registered deposited items disappear from the home page of the management server 1a, which has been open to the public until now.

(Process related to buying, selling, and rental) FIG. 22 is an example of a flowchart of a buying and selling process for deposited items in a public virtual storage warehouse that is open to the public for sale on the homepage of the management server. The general user makes a purchase inquiry 46 by clicking on the deposited item he/she wishes to purchase on the homepage of the management server 1a via the general user information terminal 23a and the Internet communication network. Thereafter, the general user communicates with the management server, determines the transaction price, inputs the delivery means 47, and concludes the sales contract 70. The shipping fee may be uniformly determined for each total vertical and horizontal height of the package.

The selection of the delivery means 47 in the sales contract 70 will be explained. In the example of FIG. 22, on the delivery method selection screen, three types are displayed on the general user's information terminal: warehouse delivery 33, delivery 31, and transfer between virtual storage warehouses 32, and one of them is selected. In warehouse delivery 33, the goods are handed over at the counter of the storage facility, in delivery 31 they are sent by mail or home delivery, and in movement 32 between virtual storage warehouses, the goods are transferred 32 between virtual storage warehouses shown in FIG. Delivered in the manner described. Furthermore, if the general user does not have a virtual storage facility from which to receive the deposited item when selecting 32 to move between virtual storage facilities, the general user must create a virtual storage facility for receiving the item. .

After the sales contract is established, the general user information terminal 23a communicates with the financial institution server 6a to request a fee transfer, and transfers the fee to the payment institution server 5a specified by the management server 1a. The management server 1a confirms the payment 72 to the above-mentioned payment institution server 5a, and notifies the storage facility information terminal 3a and processing-related companies of the delivery method via the communication network to have the deposited items delivered. Note that the payment method is not limited to that shown in FIG. 22, and may be other methods such as cash on delivery.

The money is transferred to the account of the user 2, who is the seller, according to the remittance instruction 74. The timing may differ depending on the delivery means 47 selected by the general user information terminal 23a. In the case of transfer between virtual storage facilities, the transfer process within the management server 1a may be completed, and in other cases, the administration server 1a may receive notification of withdrawal from the general user information terminal 23a or the storage facility information terminal 3a. This may be done after confirming. The management server 1a may instruct the payment institution server 5a, which holds the amount remitted by the buyer, to remit the amount to the financial institution account of the user 2, who is the seller. Thereafter, the management server 1a reports the completion of the sale to the user information terminal 2a via the communication network.

In the above description, the buying and selling of individual deposited items has been described as an example, but buying and selling can also be done in units of virtual storage warehouses, and can be carried out using the same process as above.

FIG. 23 is another example of the buying and selling processing process, and is a diagram specifically illustrating the delivery means 47 of FIG. 22 for the process of the delivery 31 system. In this embodiment, the process indicated by the dotted line frame A in FIG. 22 that was performed by the management server 1a in FIG. 22 is the process indicated by the dotted line frame A in FIG. 23. As shown in FIG. 23, the buying and selling process may be performed by entrusting the process indicated by the dotted line frame A to a processing related company.

The management server 1a, which has received the sale request from the user information terminal 2a via the communication network, shows the deposited goods information to the processing-related business information terminal 7a and requests the sale. The deposited goods information also includes the seller's account information to which the purchase price is to be transferred. The processing-related company completes the transaction with the purchaser using a process similar to the process indicated by the dotted line box A shown in FIG. However, the management server 1a is in charge of shipping 30 the deposited goods. That is, upon receiving the delivery delivery instruction from the processing-related vendor information terminal 7a via the communication network, the management server 1a transmits the delivery delivery instruction to the storage facility information terminal 3a, confirms the delivery, and then information about the processing-related vendor. It is being transferred to terminal 7a. Finally, the management server 1a receives notification of completion from the processing-related business information terminal 7a, reports completion to the user information terminal, and deletes the deposited item registration.

Processing of deposited goods is not limited to sale. For example, it is also possible to rent out the deposited items. The deposited items are posted by the user as rental items on the homepage by the management server, and general users view the homepage and rent them via the communication network.

The rental process (not shown) may be substantially the same process as in FIG. The difference is that in FIG. 22, at least the rental period is included in the deposited item information 8b, the homepage 26 displays "on loan" and "rental period" if the item is being lent, and the purchase inquiry 46 , the process of entering the "rental period", turning the sales contract 70 into a rental contract, and deleting the deposited item registration 75 after leaving the warehouse 30 is no longer required, and the "Rental item" column on the homepage is now displayed. and the ``loan period'' will be displayed.

When returning a rental item, the borrower must use the information terminal to click on the icon for the item that is displayed as ``Rented'' on the website, click the ``Return'' button, and enter the necessary information. , a label based on the label information of the management server 1a may be attached and sent to a storage facility to complete the return of the rental item.

FIG. 24 shows an example of a process in which a user and a general user directly exchange inquiries and negotiations regarding deposited items and the like by e-mail without disclosing personal information. First, respective e-mail addresses are registered in the management server 1a from the user information terminal 2a and the general user information terminal 23a. The management server 1a assigns a personal access number 80 to each of the user information terminal 2a and the general user information terminal 23a. The principal access number 80 is stored and registered in the database 36, and at the same time, the principal access number of the depositor who is the user is posted in the deposited item information column of the homepage 26.

When a general user browses the homepage 26 of the management server 1a and wishes to contact the owner of a deposited item regarding a certain deposited item, he/she sends an email to the inquiry email address on the homepage. The personal access numbers of the sender and recipient are entered in predetermined locations designated by the mail management server 1a. For example, the access number of the recipient who is the destination may be written in the title field. The management server 1a reads the access number of the received e-mail, extracts the recipient's e-mail address from the database, creates an e-mail with the sender's access number attached to a copy of the e-mail, and sends the user information. Send to terminal 2a. From then on, both parties have obtained the other party's personal access number, so both parties can communicate directly via the management server 1a without knowing the other party's email address.

Note that it is also possible to use the user's nickname in place of the access number by having the management server approve the user's nickname input from the user information terminal 2a and linking it to the access number.

FIG. 25 shows an example of a process in which the user 2 and the general user 23 exchange inquiries and negotiations regarding deposited items directly over the phone without exposing personal information. The initial registration of a telephone number and the acquisition of the personal access number 80 are the same process as the e-mail address registration shown in FIG. The telephone numbers of the user 2 and the general user 23 are stored in the database 36 in association with their respective personal access numbers 80. At the same time, the personal access number of the depositor, who is the user, is posted in the deposited item information column of the homepage 26.

When a general user 23 browses the homepage 26 of the management server 1a and wants to contact the owner of a deposited item regarding a certain deposited item, when he calls the inquiry telephone number on the homepage, he is connected to the management server 1a. Since the management server 1a requires the user to input the personal access number of the recipient, the user uses the dial button to input the personal access number 80 of the owner of the deposited item obtained from the homepage. The management server 1a extracts the telephone number linked to the principal's access number from the database and calls the recipient. When the phone is connected, the lines of the user 2 and the general user 23 are connected, so that they can talk directly without knowing each other's phone numbers. Thus, a platform is provided that allows direct transactions between parties.

1 Storage management service institution 1a Management server 1b Storage management service institution information terminal 2 User 2a User information terminal 2b User account 3 Storage facility 3a Storage facility information terminal 4 Communication network 6 Financial institution 6a Financial institution server 7 Processing-related company 7a Processing-related vendor information terminal 8 Deposited item 8a Deposited item identifier 9 Real storage 10 Virtual rental storage 11 Storage 12 Printer 13 Label 14 Barcode 15 User registration 16 Login 17 Opening a virtual rental storage 18 Selection of virtual rental storage 19 Storage request 20 Barcode reader 22 Designated user 23 General user 24 Verification 25 Deposited item image 26 Homepage 27 Real storage warehouse reservation 28 Real storage information 29 Return request 30 Output 31 Delivery 32 Movement between virtual storage warehouses 33 Warehouse Delivery 34 Timing 35 Imaging equipment 36 Database 37 Designated virtual storage 38 Authentication 39 Deposit contract 40 Memo field 41 Certification mark 42 Public virtual storage 45 Connection 46 Inquiry 47 Delivery means 50 Linking dashed line

Claims (13)

This is a system that manages the storage of goods entrusted by users, and the management server is stored in the user's account on the management server of the storage management service organization based on input from the user information terminal via the communication network. means for opening an account for a virtual rental storage; means for requesting a management server from the user information terminal to manage the storage of deposited items in the virtual storage; means for registering a deposited product identifier corresponding to the deposited product; means for the management server to register an actual storage facility of a storage facility via a communication network; means for selecting an actual storage warehouse in which to store deposited goods; means for creating a label using label information including the deposited product identifier created by the management server; means for the management server to confirm with the storage facility information terminal via a communication network that the item has been deposited in the physical storage; A storage management system using a virtual rental storage, characterized by comprising: means for storing on a server; Storage management using a virtual rental storage facility according to claim 1, wherein in the label information created by the management server, the name of the storage management service organization and the deposited item identifier are included in the sender's name. system. 2. The virtual storage facility according to claim 1, wherein in the label information created by the management server, a memo area is provided in the label format in which the user can write freely. Storage management system. means for the management server to store part of the image of the deposited item in a database as an unpublished image; and presenting the unpublished image to the user along with a plurality of other images unrelated to the deposited item; 2. The storage management system using a virtual rental storage facility according to claim 1, further comprising means for authenticating the user by having the user select an image of the deposited item. means for the management server to make a reservation for the actual storage facility in the name of the storage management service organization via a communication network to the storage facility information terminal when the actual storage facility is selected; When the deposited item is taken out, the management server includes means for requesting the storage facility information terminal to take out the deposited item in the name of the storage management service organization via a communication network. A storage management system using the virtual rental storage warehouse according to claim 1. The virtual loan system according to claim 1, wherein the management server performs an image analysis of an image of the deposited item sent from the user information terminal to the management server to determine the type of the deposited item. A storage management system that uses storage. Means for the management server to change the virtual rental storage for the deposited item to another virtual rental storage specified by the user information terminal in response to a request from the user information terminal via a communication network. 2. A storage management system using a virtual rental storage facility according to claim 1. means for setting a designated user and a designated virtual rental storage facility that the designated user can view or use on the management server via a communication network; , means for inputting the qualification conditions of the designated user; means for the management server to certify the designated user who meets the qualification conditions; and means for the management server to input the qualification conditions of the designated user. 2. The storage management system using a virtual storage facility according to claim 1, further comprising means for enabling viewing of a designated virtual storage facility or logging into an account of the designated virtual storage facility. . The user information terminal allows processing of deposited items such as return, transfer, sharing, sale, loan, auction, pasting of labels, cleaning, donation, and disposal on a communication network for each deposited item or virtual rental storage unit. and the management server transmits instructions regarding the processing to the storage facility information terminal and the processing-related vendor information terminal via a communication network, so that the information is input to the management server in units of deposited items or virtually. 2. The storage management system using a virtual rental storage facility according to claim 1, further comprising: means for performing the processing on a storage storage unit basis. A means for the user information terminal to set a specific virtual rental storage as a public virtual rental storage through a communication network, and a means for the management server to set an item registered in the public virtual storage 10. The storage management system using a virtual rental storage facility according to claim 9, further comprising means for publishing the deposited item on the Internet according to the classification and processing classification given to the deposited item by the user. A general user logs in to the management server via a communication network from a general user information terminal and submits an inquiry for a deposited item published on the Internet for processing purposes such as purchase or transfer specified by the user. means for inputting information, a means for the management server to communicate with the general user information terminal via a communication network to establish a transaction such as purchasing or transferring the deposited item, and the management server 11. The virtual rental system according to claim 10, further comprising means for deleting the registration of the deposited item in the storage and registering the deposited item identifier in the general user's virtual rental storage. A storage management system that uses storage. The management server assigns a new deposited product identifier, which is created by adding an extension to the original deposited product identifier, to an item derived from the deposited item or an item that is repeatedly moved in and out of the physical warehouse, and 11. The storage management system using a virtual storage facility according to claim 1, wherein the storage management system uses a virtual storage facility as claimed in claim 1 or 10. The management server provides means for assigning principal access numbers to the users and general users, and linking each email address or telephone number to the principal access numbers; By accessing via a telephone line and inputting the recipient's personal access number, the management server extracts the recipient's e-mail address or telephone number linked to the recipient's personal access number, and 11. The virtual storage facility according to claim 10, further comprising means for transferring the sender's e-mail to the sender or establishing a telephone connection between the sender and the receiver. Storage management system used.

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