JPH11306260A - Seat allocation system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a seat reservation system to which a seat allocating method to improve the service for a customer is adapted. SOLUTION: In a seat allocation system provided with a ticket issuing machine 1 to input the number of seats which are desired to be reserved by a user and a host computer 7 to be connected with the ticket issuing machine 1 and to retrieve the seats desired by the user by an instruction from a seat reservation file 71 to store a reservation state corresponding to plural seat numbers and the ticket issuing machine 1, the user's desired numbers of consecutive seats are not reserved by retrieval of the host computer 7, the seats according to the user's desire are secured by displaying a confirmation message whether the seats are distributively reserved or not by the ticket issuing machine 1.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a seat allocation system for performing a seat reservation (check-in) by a user himself / herself for an operation relating to a boarding procedure and a seat reservation. It relates to a seat allocation system with improved services.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a conventional seat allocation method in a conventional seat reservation system, a terminal requests a reservation of a plurality of adjacent seats (hereinafter referred to as consecutive seats in the present specification, including a case where the seats are adjacent in a front-back relationship). If a vacant seat group that satisfies the consecutive seats cannot be secured, the vacant seats are randomly secured as many as the required number of seats, and the result of securing is simply returned to the terminal. As a document describing the above-mentioned seat reservation system according to the prior art, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No.
-58688 and JP-A-57-97190.

[0003]

According to this conventional seat reservation system, when the seat request is skipped and the user is dissatisfied, the user requests a seat change at a manned window and cancels the previous reservation once. After that, it is necessary to make a reservation again, and it is necessary to do the work twice, and there is a problem that the serviceability to the user is not considered at all.

[0004] Specifically, in the above conventional technique,
In some cases, seats may be secured discretely, and there is no logic to secure the largest set of seats (seats that are not adjacent to each other as close as possible), so naturally both sides are sandwiched by strangers As a result, there was a case where he felt lonely between immediately after boarding and before disembarkation. Also, at the time of reservation, the reserved seat was reserved, but there may be cases where cancellations etc. should occur so that consecutive seats can be taken.Since the reservation system according to the prior art has not considered these points, There was a problem that the seats could not be taken in spite of being able to be taken, and there was a problem that there was a possibility that the bus could be operated with empty seats even if the seats were filled.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to eliminate the disadvantages of the prior art. When a user cannot secure a desired number of consecutive seats, the number of consecutive seats is sequentially subtracted from the desired number of consecutive seats. It is an object of the present invention to provide a seat allocation system with improved service to the user by selecting the seats that cannot be consecutively seated from the empty seats closest to the front, rear, left and right of the secured consecutive seats.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a seat allocation system for allocating a plurality of adjacent seats, the number of seats for which a user desires a reservation n
, A ticket issuing means having a function of issuing a reserved seat ticket and designating seated or non-seated seats of the number of seats desired by the user, a seat reservation file storing the reservation status corresponding to the seat number, and A search means for searching for a seat desired by the user in accordance with an instruction from the ticket issuing means, and when it is not possible to make a continuous reservation of the number of seats desired by the user, the reserved seats are distributed and reserved. A confirmation message as to whether the reservation is good or not is displayed, and when a non-seated seat that permits distributed reservation is designated, a search for a seat reservation file is performed using the number of seats obtained by subtracting the number of seats n for which the user desires to make a reservation. It is characterized by performing.

[0007]

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an outline of a system configuration of a seat reservation system suitable for a seat allocation system according to the present invention. This system is an automatic ticket issuing machine installed at a service center of a transportation facility and provided to a user. 1 and a host computer 7 connected online with the ticket issuing machine 1 and controlling seat reservation. The automatic ticket issuing machine 1 has a display 2 for displaying guidance to a user and the like.
A touch panel 3 arranged on the display 2 for inputting information by a user's contact; a ticket issuing unit 4 for writing, reading, and printing magnetic information on a form such as a reservation ticket; A communication adapter 5 for transmitting and receiving data via the line 9 and a control unit 6 for controlling these mechanical circuit units. The host computer 7 includes a seat reservation file 71 having a plurality of seat reservation information. A host calculation unit 73 including a search program 73 for searching for any information from the seat reservation file 71, and a user-desired flight name / boarding date to be described later from the automatic ticketing machine 1 to the host computer 7. The host computer 7 transmits data including / distribution permission bit information indicating whether or not the number of passengers / continuous seating of the number of seats is desired. And it is configured so as to perform the seat reservation processing requested by the user based on a request from 1.

The seat allocating method according to the present embodiment is performed in the seat reservation system having the above-described configuration. First, the drawings used in the description will be briefly described. FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a logic for searching for a file in the host computer 7 in order to secure the maximum number of consecutive seats.
In the case where seats cannot be secured in consecutive seats as a result of the search, a flow for asking the automatic ticket issuing machine 1 whether to perform a service for securing seats in non-seated seats is included, and details will be described later.

FIG. 3A shows that the host computer 7
Recognizing the distribution permission bit information 84 from the automatic ticket issuing machine 1,
This shows an example of file contents before and after updating the seat reservation file 71 when a search is performed using the flight information 81 / boarding date information 82 / number of people information 83 which are data elements of the search request data 8 as keys. For example, in the pre-update file on the left side of FIG. 3A, the seats of seat numbers 01A, 01B, 01D05D, 05E, and 05G whose flag in the reservation presence / absence information column is “1” are already reserved, and the flag is “1”. 0 ”seat number 01C, 05A, 05B, 05C,
This indicates that 05F is vacant. The updated file on the right side of FIG. 3A shows the seat numbers 05A, 05B, and 05 compared to those before the update.
C, 05F indicates a newly reserved state. In other words, in this example, there are four simultaneous check-in requests before updating, three seats of seat numbers 05A, 05B, and 05C can be secured consecutively after updating, and only one person is separated to seat number 05F. This shows an example in which three people can secure seats consecutively, and the remaining one also secures a seat near three people.

FIG. 3 (b) shows an example of the search request data format requested from the automatic ticketing machine to the host computer. This data includes flight information 81 including the number (flight name) of the relevant flight on which the user is boarding. And boarding date information 82 indicating the date of boarding, the number of boarding people 83, and the maximum number of seats based on the number of people 83 in the consecutive seating order (hereinafter, referred to as
(Referred to as “sequential seats”), and includes distribution permission bit information 84 including a bit flag for permitting reservation of dispersed seats when reservation of the consecutive seats is impossible. When the distribution permission bit is "1", it indicates that reservation of distributed seats is permitted when reservation with consecutive seats is impossible, and when the bit is "0", it is consecutive seat reservation. If it is impossible to reserve seats, it means that reservation of dispersed seats is not allowed.

FIG. 3C is a diagram showing an example of the reply message format returned from the host computer to the automatic ticket issuing machine. This data includes flight information 91 indicating the flight name for which the boarding reservation has been made, and the flight information 91. Boarding date information 92, the required number of people 93 to board, and a reserved flag 94
, The consecutive seat flag 95, and the reserved seat number 96.

FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining information recorded on a magnetic stripe 42 of a voucher 41 issued from a ticket issuing unit 4.
2, the dispersion permission bit information 84
Is written as magnetic information "1", and an acquisition request is made under the condition that the seats are dispersed when the seats cannot be taken consecutively.

FIG. 5 shows a printed example of a boarding pass when a seat cannot be acquired in a continuous seat. The seat position acquired as a continuous seat is printed on the other side of the form 41 on the magnetic surface. The result of printing on the area 51 is shown. In the present example, the reserved seat 52 “6D” and the seat positions “5A to 5C” acquired in the continuous seat are printed on the form 41. The seat number to be printed is not limited to the seat position of the consecutive number, and may be, for example, a seat position close to the seat that secures the continuous seat in the front-rear and left-right directions. The seat number that secures the consecutive seats shown may be used. Therefore, by using this form 41, it is possible to improve the service when the seat is adjusted by arbitration of a flight attendant or the like at the time of boarding or after sitting.

Next, the seat allocation method according to the present embodiment will be described in detail with reference to FIG. First, the present process starts with the host computer 7 receiving the seat reservation request shown in FIG. 3 (b) from the automatic ticket issuing machine 1 shown in FIG. ,
Initial values of m, s, and nt are set (step 10)
1). In this initial value, n is the number of seats to be reserved (number of seats to be reserved) and m is a variable representing the number of seats to be acquired at the end of the flow (however, when m = 2, two seats are acquired as consecutive seats) S is a variable used when seats cannot be shared (all seats are separated) and a value indicating the number of seats for which seats have not been secured at that time. This is a variable that is used except when the seat is unavailable, and is a value that represents the number of seats for which a seat at that time cannot be acquired. The initial value set in this step 101 is a variable m when the number of reservation applicants is n.
Is set to "n", the variable s is set to "n-1", and the variable nt is set to "0".

The host computer 7 searches the reservation file 71 based on the number information (n), flight number information, and boarding date information (step 102).

A: <Case where there is no desired number of vacant seats> Next, at step 103, the host determines whether or not seats for the number of reserved seats (n) can be reserved. Regardless of this, if there is no vacant seat with the desired number n, the content to that effect is transmitted to the automatic ticketing machine as a reservation impossible message (step 130). Upon receipt of this message, the automatic ticketing machine displays this to the user and ends the process.

B: <In the case where there is a desired number of vacant seats and all consecutive seats are available> If it is possible to reserve n seats in step 103 (if there are n or more empty seats), m empty seats are reserved for m consecutive seats. It is determined whether or not it is possible (step 104). If it is possible to make consecutive reservations (if all the adjacent seats can be secured as desired), information on the presence or absence of reservation of m adjacent seats in the seat reservation file (FIG. 3a) is updated from "0" to "1", and the seat number of the adjacent m seats is stored in the seat group information S (1) (step 123).

Next, the host computer 7 determines whether or not there are no seats for which seats cannot be reserved (nt = 0) (step 124). Is transmitted to the automatic ticket issuing machine 1 and the process is terminated (step 129).

C: <In the case where there is a desired number of vacant seats, all consecutive seats are unavailable, and m consecutive seats are available> If there is a number of seats for which seats could not be secured in step 124 (nt @ 0), a seat reservation file is searched again. Then, the seat closest to the seat group information S (1) and vacant seat (reservation presence / absence information = 0) is updated to “1” (step 125: reservation of one near seat), and the value of the variable nt is decremented by one. (Step 126) Step 125 until the value of nt becomes "0"
When the value of nt becomes "0" (all reserved), a message including the consecutive seat flag "0" and the seat number is transmitted from the host to the automatic ticket issuing machine (step 128). That is, in steps 125 to 127, a reservation of a seat close to the seat reserved first in step 123 is made. D: <In the case where there is a desired vacant seat number and consecutive seating is not possible> In step 104, it is determined that reservation is not possible for m consecutive seats, and then the variable nt is determined to be "0" (initial value of nt).
If "0", the number of seats that cannot be reserved is determined to be "0", the host transmits a message to the ticketing machine to the effect that consecutive seats cannot be reserved due to the initial value "0" (step 1).
06), the ticketing machine receiving this displays the fact to the user (step 107).

E: <In the case where the desired number of vacant seats is present, consecutive seats are not possible, and distribution is not possible> Here, the automatic ticketing machine displays a message to the user as to whether the seats can be distributed and reserved. If the user cannot disperse, the process ends (step 108).
~).

F: <desired vacant seats available, consecutive seats unavailable, dispersible,
When nt = 0> When the user selects dispersible in step 108,
Distributed permission bit "1" from ticketing machine to host [Fig. 3 (b)]
Is transmitted (step 109), the host receives it (step 110), decrements the value of the variable m by 1 (step 111), and adds 1 to the value of the variable nt (step 112). Return to This processing is performed in step 104 with the desired number of consecutive seats from the user reduced.
This is to try to secure consecutive seats.

G: <desired vacant seats available, consecutive seats unavailable, dispersible,
If nt ≠ 0> If it is determined in step 104 that m seats cannot be reserved for consecutive seats, then if it is determined in step 105 that the variable nt is not “0” (due to the addition in step 112), the variable m is 2 Is determined (step 113).
In the case of m = 2, one vacant seat serving as a reference is reserved (step 114), and if the variable s (the number of seats for which no seat has been acquired) is not 0 (step 115), it is closest to the seat reserved as the reference. A seat is reserved (step 116).
After subtracting the value of the variable s (step 119), the process returns to step 115. In these processes, if there are no consecutive vacant seats, one seat is reserved and the surrounding vacant seats are sequentially reserved based on the reserved seat, and the variable s (the number of seats for which no seat has been acquired) is " Step 11
By making the determination in step 5, the host sends a message including the seat number secured by the host to the ticket issuing machine, and the ticket issuing machine issues a seat ticket with the seat number.

If m is not equal to 2 in step 113, the value of the variable m is subtracted by 1 and the value of the variable nt is added by 1, and the process returns to step 104 to attempt seat reservation. That is, a process of retrying the process of securing the seat by relaxing the condition of the number of consecutive seats is performed.

As described above, in the seat reservation processing according to the present embodiment, the host computer searches the reservation file to determine whether or not the number of vacant seats desired by the user exists (step 103). It is determined whether or not the number of consecutive seats is present (step 104). If the seats are consecutive, the consecutive seats are secured (steps 123 to 128). Is performed, the conditions for consecutive seating are relaxed (steps 111/112 /
210/121) to try to secure consecutive seats, and if it is impossible, secure an empty seat (step 116) close to the reference seat based on one reference seat (step 114). In step 108, the user is allowed to select whether or not to secure a seat even in a discrete state. For example, the user can input "Y" from the touch panel 3 as an input device to reserve a seat in a dispersed state. Can also. The processing history of the step may be displayed on the display unit of the ticket issuing machine so as to inform the user of the processing status of the host computer. The change in the subtraction of the variable m is
By displaying "Now inquiries to reserve consecutive seats for X people", it is possible to reduce the user's anxiety when waiting for processing.

The automatic ticket-issuing machine that has received the seat number secured in steps 130/128/122 issues a seat ticket in accordance with the seat number, thereby performing a ticket issuing process closer to the needs of the user. Can be.

In the seat ticket actually output as an encoded form, as shown in FIG. 4 described above, a dispersion bit is set as magnetic information on a magnetic stripe attached to one surface (encoded with the same bit 1). Therefore, if necessary, the host computer 7 can be accessed again. In the example shown in the figure, the magnetic information is encoded on two tracks in parallel with the longitudinal direction of the magnetic stripe. Are the synchronization bits (the first 3 bits are 1 and the next 1 bit is 0), and information is written from the 5th bit that follows. This is a synchronization bit and defines a position where data starts. That is, specifically, the fifth bit of the first track is defined as a dispersion permission bit, and if this bit is 1, the control unit 6 enables access to the host computer 7 by inhalation again. By the way, as the following information, the first track encodes the seat group information (5A to 5C) taken as consecutive seats, and the second track encodes information about the currently secured seat (6D). You can see that it is. On the other hand, FIG. 5 shows an example of printing corresponding to the encoding result of FIG. You can see that it is printed. By viewing this print, the flight attendant can easily know the seat number originally requested by the passenger holding this ticket, and for example, arbitration becomes easy even immediately before the airplane takes off, so that the passenger can be cleverly Can be encouraged to change seats. In this example, the number of tracks for magnetic encoding is two, the reserved seat information is represented by a binary number, and the print area is erected at the lower right, but the present invention is not limited to this. .

The present invention can also be represented by the following embodiments. <Embodiment 1> An input unit (touch panel) for inputting various information, a display unit (display) for displaying the input result, an outlet for discharging a form, an inlet for inhaling a form, printing on a form, and magnetizing a form A ticketing unit for reading information or adding magnetic information, a storage unit for storing data such as an input screen, etc., based on information from the input unit, reading information from the storage unit (display) and displaying a screen on the display unit A control unit having a function of controlling output, a file search function having a plurality of files and a host computer for managing the state of the files are automatically issued by an automatic ticketing machine connected via an online line and a communication adapter. Search for seat reservation status from host computer in response to inquiries from aircraft and display the returned result In a reservation ticketing system that displays on a unit (display) and outputs a form from a ticketing unit, when a plurality of people check in for a request for consecutive seats, at least the control unit must provide a host computer with the presence of consecutive seating conditions. And a bit indicating the result of securing seats (sequential seating) by a plurality of persons is added to the magnetic information of the ticketing unit, and the result is reflected as encoding information when the form is issued, and a plurality of persons are printed on the form surface. A seat assignment method that indicates that it is a check-in.

<Second Embodiment> As a result of the host computer searching the seat file with a plurality of pieces of check-in applicant number information (n), if there is no consecutive seats, it is returned to the automatic ticketing machine and seats are secured in a discrete state. A seat assignment method, wherein a process for determining whether or not to continue the procedure is incorporated into an automatic ticketing machine. <Embodiment 3> Based on the information included in at least the number of check-in applicants (n), flight number, and date and time input from the input unit, the host computer determines the number of multiple check-in applicants (n), flight name, A file that manages all seat reservations is searched using the date and time information as a key, and if it is not possible to secure consecutive seats for the number of people who meet the conditions, (n-
A seat allocation method characterized in that the search is executed in 1), and the number of (n) is reduced by 1 until the search is sequentially performed, and the search is advanced to secure the maximum number of consecutive seats. <Embodiment 4> In the embodiment 3, in the case where the number of applicants information (n) could not be secured, the seat file is searched again using the consecutive seats determined in advance for the overflowing number as a key. A seat assignment method characterized by securing the seat closest to consecutive seats. <Embodiment 5> A seat allocation method according to Embodiment 1, wherein a part of the read encoded information is added to the control unit to determine whether to permit access to the host. . <Embodiment 5> A seat allocation system for allocating a plurality of adjacent seats to a plurality of seats to which a seat number is assigned, wherein a seat number n desired by a user is input, and a reserved seat ticket is input. A host computer that is connected to the ticket issuing machine and stores a reservation status corresponding to the plurality of seat numbers and searches for a seat desired by the user according to an instruction from the ticket issuing machine. The ticket issuing machine has a function to specify the number of seats the user wants seated, non-seated seats, the host computer,
When the number of seats the user desires to reserve is n, the variable is m, and when the ticketing machine is designated as having consecutive seats, the variable m obtained by searching the seat reservation file and substituting the desired number of seats n.
Step 1 for determining whether or not there are vacant seats, and Step 2 for determining whether or not consecutive vacant seats among the vacant seats are equal to or greater than variable m when there are vacant seats with the variable m or more. When it is determined that the number of consecutive vacant seats is equal to or greater than the variable m, step 3 for securing consecutive seats for the variable m;
If the number of vacant seats is determined to be less than the variable m, the value obtained by subtracting the desired number of seats n by one is substituted for the variable m (step 4).
And step 5 to search the seat reservation file to determine whether or not there are continuous vacant seats equal to or greater than the variable m in step 4 and to return to step 3, step 5, variable m and the desired number of seats secured in step 3. When there is a difference from n
Step 6 to secure a vacant seat with the insufficient number of seats due to the difference
Wherein the ticket issuing machine issues the seat ticket secured in steps 3 and 6 of the host computer.

<Embodiment 6> If the host computer determines in step 2 that the number of consecutive vacant seats is less than the variable m, it indicates that the ticketing machine cannot satisfy the number of consecutive seats n, and the non-seated seats are displayed. 52. The seat allocation system according to embodiment 51, further comprising a step 7 of executing the step 4 in accordance with the instruction of

<Seventh Embodiment> The seat allocation system according to the sixth embodiment, wherein the ticket issuing machine prints the seat number secured in step 3 on the seat ticket with the seat number secured in step 6.

[0031]

As described above, the seat allocating system according to the present invention provides a ticketing machine for inputting the number of seats desired by a user and a ticketing machine connected to the ticketing machine, which is used to check the reservation status corresponding to the plurality of seat numbers. A host computer that searches for a seat desired by the user based on the seat reservation file to be stored and an instruction from the ticketing machine, and the ticketing machine cannot search the host computer for a desired number of consecutive seats by searching the host computer. In this case, by displaying a confirmation message as to whether or not the reserved seats can be distributed and reserved, it is possible to secure a group of consecutive or non-seated seats according to the user's request. Further, even if all the seats cannot be consecutive, the seats are secured as close as possible to the group of seats, so that the serviceability to the user can be improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of a seat allocation system for performing seat reservation according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a processing flow for securing consecutive seats according to the embodiment;

FIG. 3 is an exemplary view showing an example of a seat reservation file and transfer data of a host computer according to the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of adding a form encoding of a seat ticket according to the embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a view showing a form printing example according to the embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

1: automatic ticketing machine, 2: display, 3: touch panel, 4: ticketing unit, 41: report, 5: communication adapter, 6: control unit, 7: host computer, 71: seat reservation file, 72: search program, 73 : Host calculator, 8: data, 81: flight information, 82: boarding date information, 83: headcount information, 84: distribution permission bit information, 9:
Line.

Claims (4)

[Claims] Claims 1. A seat allocation system for allocating a plurality of adjacent seats to a plurality of seats to which a seat number is assigned, wherein the number of seats n desired by the user is inputted, and the reserved seat ticket is entered. Issuance means and a function of designating seated or non-seated seating of the number of seats desired by the user, a seat reservation file storing the reservation status corresponding to the seat number, and an instruction from the ticketing means. A search means for searching for a seat desired by the user is provided, and when it is not possible to reserve the desired number of consecutive seats,
The ticket issuing means displays a confirmation message as to whether or not the reserved seats can be distributed and reserved, and when a non-seated seat to permit the distributed reservation is designated, the ticket issuing means A seat allocation system, wherein the seat reservation file is searched using the number of seats obtained by subtracting the number n of seats desired to be reserved. 2. When a non-sequential seat for which the distributed reservation is permitted is designated, a seat reservation file is searched using the number of seats obtained by subtracting the number of seats n to secure consecutive seats of the subtracted number of seats. 2. The seat allocation system according to claim 1, wherein a reservation is made for seats in which the difference between the number of seats n and the reserved number of seats is dispersed. 3. The method according to claim 2, wherein, when reserving a seat in which the difference between the number of seats n and the reserved number of seats is dispersed, a seat close to the reserved seat is preferentially reserved. Seat allocation system. 4. The seat allocation system according to claim 2, wherein the ticket issuing means prints a seat number of the seat secured in the continuous seat on a seat ticket of the distributed seat number.