JPH0342505Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed explanation of the idea]

The present invention relates to a visitor management device that can be used in various service businesses for visitors. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In service operations at each branch of a bank, it is necessary to quickly and fairly process the various services requested by the many customers who come to the service reception counter. For example, bank branches have separate reception desks for various services such as foreign exchange, taxes, dividends, and account transfers, but on Saturdays, the end of the month, and other specific days, each reception desk is closed. Crowded with many visitors. Conventionally, in order to handle the services requested by these large numbers of visitors, it was necessary to have the visitors line up in a line at each counter, or hand them reception number tags in the order in which they were received, and then hand out reception number tags to the customers in the order of the numbers on the number tags. The method used was to perform service processing. However, this method of having customers line up at the counter places a heavy burden on the customers as they have to stand and wait.
If there is a previous visitor requesting a service that takes a very long time, subsequent visitors may have to wait for a long time even though they are requesting a service that takes a very short time. ,
This was not necessarily fair. The method of handing a reception number tag to a visitor eliminates the need for the visitor to wait in line, but there are concerns about how long they will have to wait before they receive service, and in which order they will be served. There was an inconvenience in that customers could become irritated if they had to wait for a certain amount of time. The purpose of the present invention is to provide a visitor management device that can display the average waiting time, waiting order, etc. for dealing with customers in various service operations in order to eliminate the above-mentioned inconveniences in conventional service processing operations. . A visitor management device according to the present invention includes a plurality of cards that are handed to a visitor and record a visitor identification number for identifying the visitor and service type information indicating the type of service desired by the visitor; A controller including a reading device for reading the recorded contents of the card, and the average waiting time to receive service, the visitor identification number of the visitor being called for service, and the next service. and a display board for instructing the visitor of the visitor identification number of at least the earliest visitor who can receive the service. a first storage means for storing time information; a second storage means for storing in advance the service processing time required to process the service for each service type; writing operation means for storing in the first storage means the visitor identification number and service type information read by the reading device and the reception time from the time information means; and receiving a card from the visitor when calling the visitor. erasing operation means for erasing the visitor identification number and service type information read by the reading device from the first storage means; and time information from the time information means; Based on the visitor identification number, service type information and reception time stored in the storage means, and the service processing time corresponding to the service type stored in the second storage means, the order of service processing for the visitor and the average waiting time are calculated to obtain order information. and an arithmetic means for outputting average waiting time information, and a visitor identification number of the visitor being called for service based on the order information from the arithmetic means and an identification number of at least the earliest visitor who can receive the next service. and display instruction means for instructing the display board to update the average waiting time until receiving a service one after another based on the average waiting time information. Next, the present invention will be described in more detail with regard to embodiments of the present invention based on the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view showing the configuration of a visitor management device as an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, this visitor management device includes a display board 10.
0 and a controller 200 electrically connected to the display board 100. The display board 100 has an average waiting time display window 110 for displaying the average waiting time until receiving a service.
, a calling visitor identification number display window 120 for displaying the visitor identification number of the visitor being called to receive a service, and an order display window for displaying in order the visitor identification numbers that can receive the next service. 130. This display board 100
is designed to be controlled by the controller 200 and can be placed at a counter or the like that accepts service operations. FIG. 2 shows, in plan, one of a plurality of cards that are used in combination with the visitor management device shown in FIG. 1 and constitute a part of the visitor management device. This card 300 has a magnetic stripe 320 on the top of a plastic (or paper) base 310, like a normal credit card or cash card.
It has become popular. A visitor identification number, service type information, etc. are magnetically recorded on the magnetic stripe 320. A visitor identification number, in this example number 97, is visibly recorded in the center of the plastic body 310. The size of this card 300 is not particularly limited, but it is preferably about twice the size of a normal cash card or credit card so that a visitor cannot carry it home by putting it in a pocket or the like. The controller 200 mainly includes a magnetic card reading device 210 that can magnetically read the recorded contents of the magnetic stripe 320 of the card 300 shown in FIG. Control unit 22
0 and a keypad section 230 that allows arbitrary information to be input in place of the magnetic card 300. This controller 200 is placed on the side of a service staff (operator) of a counter that receives service work, and can be operated by the service staff. FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the structure of the visitor management device shown in FIG. 1 in more detail. As shown in detail in FIG. 3, the visitor management device in FIG. 1 mainly includes the display board 100 and the controller 200, as described above. controller 20
In addition to the magnetic card reader 210, control unit 220, and keyboard unit 230 described above,
It includes a ROM 240, a RAM 250, a display section 260, a printer section 270, a power supply section 280, and a display board control section 290. ROM240, RAM250 and control unit 220
can be configured by a microcomputer, the ROM 240 stores programs for operating the device, and the RAM 240 stores programs for operating the device.
50 stores various information such as a visitor identification number read by the magnetic card reader 210 when the card 300 is handed over to the visitor, service type information indicating the type of service desired by the visitor, and the visitor reception time. It is for the purpose of The display section 260 displays information displayed on the display board 100, contents input from the keyboard section 230, etc. to the operator. The printer unit 270 prints a number that will not end the job even if the waiting time is exceeded significantly, prints out inquiries about registration status, and prints out the number of receptions, average processing time, maximum processing time, shortest processing time, number of visitors by time zone, operator This is for printing out the processing contents of the service, such as the number of cases handled, as the daily results or intermediate results at a timely manner. The keyboard section 230 allows the operator to input the contents of the magnetic card 300 into the control section 220 or print them out instead of reading the contents of the magnetic card 300 with the magnetic card reader when the magnetic card reader 210 is defective. This is to enable the operator to control the operation of this device, such as by specifying commands and other service items. The power supply section 280 is for supplying the power necessary for the controller 200 to operate. The control unit 220 is a central unit for controlling the overall operation of this device, and details thereof will be described later. The display board control unit 290 is a part that sends out information to be displayed on the display board 100. The display board 100 includes a controller I/F section 14.
0, a control section 150, and a power supply section 160. The controller I/F section 140 is a section that receives display data sent from a display board control section 290 in the controller 200, and a control section 150 and a power supply section 160. The section 150 is a section that instructs display data sent from the controller 200 to be displayed on a predetermined display window section of the display board 100, and the power section 150
0 supplies power necessary for operation of the display board 100. Control unit 22 which is the central part for controlling this device
0 is associated with the ROM 240 and the RAM 250, and its functions are shown in the functional block diagram of FIG. As shown in the functional block diagram in Figure 4,
The functions performed by the control unit 220, ROM 240, and RAM 250 include a time information means 221 for providing time information, a first storage means 251 for storing a visitor identification number, service type information, and time information; A second storage means 252 stores in advance the service processing time required to process the service for each type, and a visitor information read by the magnetic card reader 210 when handing the magnetic card 300 to the visitor at the time of receiving the visitor. Identification number, service type information, and time information means 221
write operation means 222 for storing the reception time from the customer in the first storage means, and the visitor identification number and service type read by the magnetic card reader 210 when receiving the magnetic card 300 from the visitor when calling the visitor. Erasing operation means 223 for erasing information from the first storage means 251
Based on the time information from the time information means 221, the visitor identification number and service type information and reception time stored in the first storage means, and the service processing time corresponding to the service type stored in the second storage means 252. A calculation means 224 that calculates the order of service processing and average waiting time for customers and outputs order information and average waiting time information, and a customer who is called for service based on the order information from the calculation means 224. The display board 10 displays the average waiting time until receiving the service based on the identification number, the identification number of at least the earliest visitor who can receive the next service, and the average waiting time information.
Display instruction means 2 for instructing 0 to update one after another
It is divided into 25 parts. A case in which service operations are performed using the visitor management device having such a configuration will be described below, taking bank counter operations as an example in particular. First, at the start of service work, the display board 10
The 0 average waiting time display window 110 displays 0 minutes as the current average waiting time. (Even if it is not 0 minutes, it can be set to any number of minutes by specifying a parameter.) This state is shown in FIG. 5A. Next, when the first visitor arrives at the counter, the visitor receives a magnetic card displaying a visitor identification number, for example number 15, from among the magnetic cards 300 that record service type information corresponding to the service requested by the visitor. Before handing over the card, the teller uses the magnetic card reading device 210 of the controller 200 placed at hand to read the recorded contents of the magnetic stripe of the magnetic card. At this time, the control section 220 of the controller 200 controls the writing operation means 222 so that the current reception time, the visitor identification number 15 read by the reading device 210, and the service type information from the time information means are changed to the first one. Storage means 25
1 in an appropriate memory location. Then,
The calculation means 224 stores the service type information stored in the first storage means 251 and the second storage means 25.
The average waiting time is calculated based on the information indicating the service processing time corresponding to the service stored in advance in step 2. Now, if the corresponding service processing time is 5 minutes, the average waiting time is calculated as 5 minutes. Further, the calculation means 224 outputs 15 as the identification number of the next visitor who can receive the service. Therefore, in response to these outputs, the display instruction means 225 instructs the average waiting time display window 110 of the display board 100 to display 5 minutes as the current average waiting time via the display board control section 290. and 15 is displayed on the order display window 130 as the identification number of the next visitor who can receive the service. The display state of this display board 100 is shown in FIG. 5B. After that, customers arrived at the counter one after another, number 3, number 20, number 28, number 17, respectively.
It is assumed that magnetic cards 300 having visitor identification numbers No. 1, No. 16, and No. 10 are read by the magnetic card reader 210 and then handed to each visitor. Here, in order to simplify the explanation, the service processing times for the services requested by these guests are all the same 5 times.
Suppose it was something like that. Then, the first storage means 251 stores the reception time of each visitor from the time information means 221, as well as requested service type information and visitor identification numbers 15, 3, 20, 28, 17, 16, and 10. There will be. The calculation means 224 is
The time information from the time information means 221, the reception time, visitor identification number and service type information stored in the first storage means 251, and the corresponding service processing time stored in the second storage means 252. Based on this, the order of service processing for customers and the average waiting time are calculated and order information15
→3→20→28→17→16→10 and average waiting time information
Outputs 35 minutes. The display instruction means 225 receives these outputs and, via the display board control section 290,
The average waiting time display window 110 of the display board 100 displays 35 minutes as the current average waiting time, and 15 → 3 → 20 → 28 → 17 is displayed as the identification number of the next customer who can receive the service. Order display window 1
30 so that it is displayed. This display board 100
The display state of is shown in FIG. 5C. When approximately 5 minutes have passed since the reception of the first visitor and the preparation for the service requested by the first visitor has been completed, the magnetic card 30 with the visitor identification number 15 is
A visitor with 0 is called, the magnetic card is received, and services such as giving money, bankbooks, etc. to the visitor are performed, and finally the magnetic card is read by a magnetic card reading device 210. Then, by the operation of the erasing operation means 223, the visitor identification number 15 and the corresponding service type information stored in the first storage means 251 are erased. At this time, the calculation means 224 uses the time information means 2
21, the visitor identification number and service type information stored in the first storage means 251, and the service processing time information from the second storage means 252, the same calculation as described above is performed. Calculate the order of service processing for customers and the average waiting time, and obtain order information 3 → 20 → 28 →
Outputs 17 → 16 → 10 and average waiting time information of 30 minutes. In response to these outputs, the display instruction means 225 controls the display board 100 via the display board control section 290.
30 minutes is displayed as the current average waiting time in the average waiting time display window 110, and
Next, the sequence 3→20→28→17→16 is displayed in the order display window 130 in order of the identification numbers of the guests who can receive the service. The display state of this display board 100 is shown in FIG. 5D. When calling for visitor number 15, if the visitor does not appear at the counter immediately, the counter clerk can, for example, press down a predetermined key on the keyboard section 230 of the controller 200 to display the called visitor identification number on the display board 100. The visitor identification number is displayed on the window 120.
15 can be displayed to indicate that the visitor with the magnetic card number 15 is being called. FIG. 5E shows the visitor call display state of the display board 100. If two or more called guests are absent, the called visitor identification number display window 120 may alternately display the identification numbers of the called guests at a predetermined period (for example, 10 seconds). Thereafter, as customers come to the counter one after another and the customer's service is completed, by repeating the same operations and operations, the calculation means 224 stores the time information from the time information means 221 in the first storage means 251. Based on the visitor identification number, service type information, reception time, and service processing time corresponding to the service type stored in the second storage means 252, the order of service processing for the visitor and the average waiting time are calculated, and the order information and The display instruction means 225 outputs the average waiting time information and displays the visitor identification number of the visitor being called for service, the identification number of the next visitor to receive the service, and the service. The display board 100 is instructed to update the average waiting time until receiving the message one after another. In the above explanation, the calculation means 224 processes the service in the order of reception, regardless of the length of service processing time for the service requested by the visitor.As shown in the following table, the calculation means 224 224 takes into consideration the time at which the visitor is received and the length of the service processing time for the service requested by the visitor, and the order in which the visitor can receive the service is not simply the order in which it is received, but the order in which the visitor is requested at the reception time. If the service processing time is added, that is, if the service starts immediately after reception, the customer whose service ends earlier will be treated as the earliest reception order, and if such end times are the same, may be arranged in the order of reception.

【table】

[Table] In the table above, the numbers in the column of card type (service processing time: minutes) indicate the time required to process the service requested by each visitor in minutes. At the time of reception
tsi, and tsj when returning the card. The number in the unit processing end time column indicates the time te at which the requested service will end, assuming that processing of the requested service is started immediately after receiving each visitor.
This time te is calculated by the calculation means according to the following formula, where tc is the reception time.
Sort the waiting order in descending order of te value. t _e = t _c + t _si Also, the number in the current average waiting time tw column is
The initial waiting time (initial value) is calculated by the calculation means according to the following formula, with t _p being the initial waiting time (initial value). t _w = t _p + 〓 ^j t _s i According to the visitor management device of the present invention, since it has the configuration and operates as described above, the visitor can enjoy the service by looking at the display on the display board. You'll always know how long you have to wait for your service, and you'll also know how many people are left to receive your service, so you can sit and wait or finish your errands without feeling so irritated. I can do it. Furthermore, according to the visitor management device of the present invention, services are not simply processed in the order in which guests are received, but can be processed in a relatively short time by taking into consideration the length of processing time for the services requested by the guests. Customers requesting services can have a relatively short waiting time, while customers requesting services that require a relatively long time to be processed can be made to wait a certain amount of time. Therefore, it is possible to provide relatively fair service to all guests.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawings is a schematic perspective view showing the configuration of a visitor management device as an embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a plan view of a card used in the visitor management device shown in Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 1 is a block diagram showing the structure of the visitor management device shown in FIG. 1 in more detail, FIG. 4 is a functional block diagram showing the functions of the control section of the visitor management device shown in FIG. 1, and FIG. It is a figure showing the display state of the display board of a management device. 100...Display board, 110...Average waiting time display window section, 120...Calling visitor identification number display window section, 130...Order display window section, 200...Controller, 210...Magnetic card reader, 22
0...Control unit, 221...Time information means, 222
...Write operation means, 223...Erase operation means,
224... calculation means, 225... display instruction means,
230...Keyboard section, 240...ROM, 2
50...RAM, 251...first storage means, 2
52...Second storage means, 290...Display board control unit, 300...Magnetic card, 310...Plastic (or paper) substrate, 320...Magnetic stripe.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] A plurality of cards that are handed to a visitor and have a visitor identification number for identifying the visitor and service type information indicating the type of service desired by the visitor, and for reading the recorded contents of the cards. a controller including a reader for the service, and the average waiting time to receive service, the guest identification number of the guest being called for service, and at least the earliest customer next available for service. and a display board for instructing the visitor of the visitor identification number, and the controller includes a time information means for giving time information, and a display board for storing the visitor identification number, service type information, and time information. a first storage means; a second storage means for storing in advance the service processing time required to process the service for each service type; writing operation means for storing the visitor identification number and service type information and the reception time from the time information means in the first storage means;
an erasing operation means for erasing from the first storage means the visitor identification number and service type information read by the reading device when receiving a card from the visitor at the time of calling a visitor; and a time information means for erasing from the first storage means. information, the visitor identification number and service type information and reception time stored in the first storage means, and the order and average waiting time of service processing for the visitor based on the service processing time for the service type field in the second storage means. A calculation means for calculating time and outputting order information and average waiting time information, and a visitor identification number of a visitor who is being called for service based on the order information from the calculation means and at least one person who can receive the next service. A visitor characterized by comprising display instruction means for instructing the display board to update the average waiting time until receiving a service one after another based on the identification number of the earliest visitor and the average waiting time information. Management device.