JP2013086928A - Information processing device, information processing method, and program - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To further increase efficiency in delivery business by reducing redelivery caused by absence of a receiver, by informing the receiver of delivery information before delivering a home delivery cargo, even when a telephone number of the receiver is unknown when requesting home delivery from a sender, and an electronic mail address of the receiver cannot be acquired.SOLUTION: An arrival expected date and time of a delivery cargo to a delivery branch office is calculated from accepting branch office specific information and the delivery cargo accepting time received from an accepting branch office installing device and transport diagram information, the delivery expected date and time to the receiver is calculated from a calculating result and each branch office delivery schedule information, and postcard data is generated by including an address and a name of the receiver of the delivery cargo as information on a delivery postcard address to the receiver, and information for specifying a delivery item, the delivery expected date and time of the delivery cargo and a changing method of the delivery expected date and time as information on delivery postcard communication, to be transmitted to a delivery branch office installing device.

Description

  The present invention relates to an apparatus, an information processing method, and a program for notifying delivery recipients of delivery information in advance.

  In the delivery of packages handed over directly from a delivery person to a recipient of a delivery item or a living person (recipient) at a front door or the like, redelivery may be performed due to absence of the recipient's going out. When performing re-delivery, the work burden on the delivery worker and the delivery cost increase.

  In order to solve such a problem, for example, it is intended to provide a delivery notice system that enables a recipient to know the existence of a delivery product before delivery and to improve delivery efficiency of a delivery center. Delivery delivery means for accepting a delivery request from the sender of delivery and delivery information relating to the delivery request, delivery information creation means for organizing the delivery information and creating delivery information including scheduled delivery date and time, and receiving the delivery information There is a home delivery advance notification system provided with delivery information notification means for notifying before delivery of a home delivery (for example, see Patent Document 1).

JP 2001-341815 A

  According to the technique described in Patent Document 1, in order to notify delivery information to a recipient before delivery of the delivery, information such as the name, address, and telephone number of the recipient, which is a part of the delivery information, is used. In addition, it is necessary to search and obtain the recipient's e-mail address by accessing the Internet.

  However, since the recipient's name, address, and telephone number are personal information, it is difficult to obtain the recipient's e-mail address even if the Internet is searched using such information. Even if the e-mail address cannot be obtained, if the recipient's phone number is known, the recipient can be notified by the telephone contact means that the delivery information is available before delivery to the home. The delivery information may not include the recipient's phone number. Therefore, if the recipient's phone number is unknown at the time of home delivery request from the sender and the recipient's e-mail address cannot be obtained, the delivery information cannot be notified to the recipient prior to delivery. .

  Further, even if the recipient receives notification of delivery information including the scheduled delivery date and time before delivery of the delivery, the recipient may not be able to receive the delivery by going out at the scheduled delivery date and time. If the recipient cannot receive the delivery, re-delivery is required, so the work burden and delivery cost for the delivery worker as described above increase.

  The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and even when the recipient's telephone number is unknown at the time of home delivery request from the sender, and the recipient's e-mail address cannot be obtained, the delivery information can be obtained. Provided is an information processing apparatus, an information processing method, and a program capable of notifying a recipient before delivery of a deliverable, and reducing redelivery caused by the absence of the recipient, etc., and further improving the efficiency of delivery work. For the purpose.

  One means for solving the above problem will be described. The present invention relates to an apparatus installed in a delivery branch of a delivery item and an information processing apparatus connected to a device installed in the delivery branch of the delivery item via a network. The information processing apparatus uses the information in the first storage unit that stores the transportation schedule information, the second storage unit that stores the delivery schedule information for each branch, the first storage unit, and the second storage unit. And an arithmetic processing unit for generating postcard data to be delivered before delivering the delivery to the recipient. The arithmetic processing unit receives the information including the address of the recipient of the delivery, the name, the underwriting branch identification information, and the underwriting time of the delivery from the underwriting branch installation device via the network, and specifies the underwriting branch The estimated arrival date and time of delivery to the delivery branch is calculated from the information, the acceptance time of the delivery and the transportation schedule information, and received from the calculated estimated arrival date and time of the delivery to the delivery branch and the delivery schedule information by branch Calculate the scheduled delivery date and time of the delivery to the person, and specify the address and name of the recipient as name information on the postcard to be delivered to the recipient, and specify the delivery case as information on the communication side of the delivery postcard Delivery postcard data including information, scheduled delivery date and time, and a method for changing the scheduled delivery date are generated, and the generated delivery postcard data is sent to the delivery branch installation device via the network. To send.

  The delivery branch installation device includes a storage unit that stores a scheduled delivery date and time of the delivery and information for specifying the delivery item, and an arithmetic processing unit. The processing unit of the delivery branch installation device is a postcard that is delivered before delivering the delivery to the recipient of the delivery, and the address and name of the recipient are used as name information for the delivery postcard. The postcard data including the information for specifying the delivery case as communication information of the postcard, the scheduled delivery date and time, and the method of changing the scheduled delivery date are sent from the delivery postcard data transmission source device via the network. The received delivery postcard data is printed, and the scheduled delivery date and time of the delivery item specified by inputting the delivery item specifying information is set to the desired delivery date and time of the recipient received by the delivery date and time change method. change.

  According to the present invention, even when the recipient's telephone number is unknown at the time of home delivery request from the sender and the recipient's e-mail address cannot be obtained, the delivery information can be notified to the recipient before delivery of the delivery. Further, it is possible to reduce the re-delivery that occurs due to the absence of the recipient, and to further improve the efficiency of the delivery operation.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS It is a figure explaining the information processing system whole structure example and the outline | summary based on Example 1 of this invention. It is a figure which shows the function structural example of the information processing system based on Example 1 of this invention. It is a figure which shows the data structural example of the transportation diagram memory | storage part 404 which the center installation apparatus 400 which concerns on Example 1 of this invention comprises. It is a figure which shows the example of a data structure of the delivery schedule memory | storage part 405 classified by branch which the center installation apparatus 400 which concerns on Example 1 of this invention comprises. It is a figure which shows the example of a data structure of the delivery desired date storage part 502 with which the center installation apparatus 400 which concerns on Example 1 of this invention is provided. It is a block diagram which shows the hardware structural example common to the underwriting branch installation apparatus 300, the center installation apparatus 400, and the delivery branch installation apparatus 500 based on Example 1 of this invention. It is a figure which shows the information processing implemented in the imaging device 303 and the underwriting branch installation apparatus 300 based on Example 1 of this invention. It is a figure which shows the information processing implemented in the center installation apparatus 400 based on Example 1 of this invention. It is a figure which shows the example of the address name of a delivery thing, and the example of the information extracted by the character recognition function 402 based on Example 1 of this invention. It is a figure which shows the example of description of the name and communication side addressed to a notice postcard according to the first embodiment of the present invention. It is a figure which shows the information processing implemented in the delivery branch installation apparatus 500 based on Example 1 of this invention. It is a figure which shows the information processing implemented in the center installation apparatus 400 based on Example 2 of this invention. It is a figure which shows the information processing system whole structure example based on Example 4 of this invention. It is a figure which shows the example of the name face and communication face addressed to the handing delivery forgetting prevention postcard based on Example 5 of this invention.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In addition, this invention is not limited to the Example demonstrated below, A various change is possible in the range which does not deviate from the summary.

  FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining an overall configuration example of an information processing system according to an embodiment of the present invention and an outline thereof.

  First, a person who wants to send a delivery such as a registered mail or a parcel (hereinafter referred to as a sender) brings the delivery to a window (underwriting branch) that accepts the delivery. In the following description, what is simply described as “delivery item” refers to a package handed over directly from a delivery person (hereinafter referred to as a front door delivery person) to the recipient at the entrance. The delivery will be explained using registered mail as an example. At the underwriting branch, there is a staff member in charge of the counter (hereinafter referred to as the counter staff) and accepts deliveries. In addition to information such as the recipient's address and name, a sticker on which information for identifying the delivery item (hereinafter referred to as a delivery item ID) is printed is attached to the name of the delivery item. The address information is photographed by the photographing device 303 and the image data is transmitted to the underwriting branch installation device 300.

  Thereafter, when the counter staff carries out the delivery procedure for the delivery, the delivery is transported from the underwriting branch to the delivery branch through physical inter-branch transportation such as trucking. On the other hand, in the underwriting branch, the underwriting branch setting device 300 displays the image data of the address information (the name, address, delivery ID, etc. of the recipient) transmitted from the photographing device 303, the underwriting time of the delivery, and the underwriting branch. Information including information to be specified (for example, underwriting branch name) (hereinafter referred to as underwriting information) is transmitted to the center installation apparatus 400 of the center via the network 201 such as the Internet or an in-house network. Note that, for example, the transmission time to the center installation apparatus 400 is used as the delivery time of the delivery item.

  When the center installation device 400 receives the delivery name information, the underwriting information including the delivery time and the underwriting branch name, the center installation apparatus 400 recognizes the handwritten characters and the printed characters of the address information as electronic data, and the underwriting branch name. The estimated delivery date and time of delivery to the delivery branch is calculated from the delivery time and delivery schedule information, and the delivery arrival information for each delivery branch and the delivery schedule information for each branch to the delivery recipient. The delivery date and time of the recipient, the name of the recipient, the name, the scheduled delivery date and time of the delivery, etc. are generated, and the print data for the postcard (hereinafter referred to as the postcard data) is generated. , To the delivery branch installation device 500 of the delivery branch.

  Upon receiving the notice postcard data, the delivery branch installation apparatus 500 of the delivery branch prints the notice postcard based on the notice postcard data. The notice postcard includes the address of the recipient, name, and scheduled delivery date and time of the delivery. Note that the postcard printing process is performed in seconds to minutes.

  The printed notice postcard is a delivery person who regularly delivers to the post at the recipient's house before the delivery arrives at the delivery branch or is delivered to the recipient by the front door delivery person (hereinafter referred to as post delivery). Delivered to the recipient's post. In this way, even if the recipient's phone number is unknown at the time of home delivery request from the sender and the recipient's e-mail address cannot be obtained, the delivery date, etc. Delivery information can be notified to the recipient.

  The recipient confirms the scheduled delivery date and time of the delivery indicated on the notice postcard. If the delivery cannot be received due to going out at the scheduled delivery date and time, the delivery date and time can be set using a contact means such as a mobile phone. Contact the delivery branch. The delivery branch stores the desired delivery date and time received from the recipient.

  The front door delivery person delivers the delivery to the recipient at the desired delivery date. In this way, even if the recipient cannot receive the delivery at the scheduled delivery date described in the notice postcard, the delivery can be delivered in consideration of the desired delivery date and time of the recipient. As a result, it is possible to reduce the re-delivery that occurs and to further improve the efficiency of the delivery operation. This also makes it possible to reduce the load on the front door delivery person and reduce delivery costs.

  FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a functional configuration example of the information processing system according to the embodiment of the present invention.

  An information processing system according to an embodiment of the present invention is a computer network in which an underwriting branch installation device 300 to which a photographing device 303 is connected, a center installation device 400, and a delivery branch installation device 500 are connected to a network 201. System.

  The imaging device 303 is a camera, a scanner, or the like having an image capturing function, and is a device that transmits image data of addressed name information to the underwriting branch installation device 300.

  The underwriting branch installation apparatus 300 includes a program including an image data reception function 301 and an underwriting information transmission function 302, an underwriting branch information storage unit 304, and the like. The image data receiving function 301 has a function of receiving image data transmitted from the photographing apparatus 303. The underwriting information transmission function 302 has a function of transmitting the underwriting information to the center installation device 400 via the network 201. The underwriting branch information storage unit 304 stores information for specifying the underwriting branch.

The center installation device 400 includes an underwriting information reception function 401, a character recognition function 402, a notice postcard data generation function 403, a notice postcard data transmission function 406, a transportation diagram storage unit 404, and a delivery schedule for each branch. A storage unit 405 and the like are included. The underwriting information receiving function 401 has a function of receiving underwriting information transmitted from the underwriting branch installation device 300 via the network 201. The character recognition function 402 has a function of recognizing handwritten characters such as a recipient's address and name and printed characters as electronic data from image data included in the underwriting information.
The notice postcard data generation function 403 calculates the estimated arrival date and time of delivery to the delivery branch from the information identifying the underwriting branch, the delivery time of the delivery, and the transportation diagram information in the transportation diagram storage unit 404. The estimated delivery date and time of delivery to the recipient is calculated from the estimated arrival time of the delivery to the delivery branch and the delivery schedule information for each branch in the delivery schedule storage unit 405 for each branch, and the address of the recipient in the name of the notice postcard, Print the name, etc., and generate the notice postcard data to print the sender's name, inquiry number, sender name, delivery ID, delivery date and time of delivery, how to change the delivery date, etc. It has the function to do. The notice postcard data transmission function 406 has a function of sending the notice postcard data generated by the notice postcard data generation function 403 to the delivery branch installation device 500 via the network 201.

  The delivery branch installation device 500 includes a notice postcard data reception function 501, a delivery desired date storage unit 502 that stores information such as a scheduled delivery date and time of a delivery in the notice postcard data or a delivery desired date and time when a recipient contacts the delivery postcard data. A postcard printing function 503, a desired delivery date input function 504, and the like are provided. The notice postcard data reception function 501 receives notice postcard data from the center installation device 400 via the network 201, and requests delivery by associating the delivery item ID, inquiry number, and scheduled delivery date / time in the received notice postcard data with each other. It has a function of registering in the date / time storage unit 502. The notice postcard printing function 503 has a function of printing a notice postcard based on the notice postcard data. The printed notice postcard is delivered to the recipient by a postman. In addition, when receiving a notice of change of scheduled delivery date and time from the recipient who received the notice postcard, the desired delivery date and time stored in the desired delivery date and time storage unit 502 is received by the desired delivery date and time input function 504. Has the function to change the date and time. In addition to the telephone contact described above, the scheduled delivery date / time can be changed by electronic contact means such as sending the desired delivery date / time of the deliverable to the delivery branch installation device 500 via a network such as the Internet from the recipient's terminal. You may make it use.

  FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a data configuration example of the transportation diagram storage unit 404 included in the center installation device 400. The transport diagram storage unit 404 stores information related to a transport network that connects branches throughout the country. By using the mail diagram storage unit 404, it is possible to calculate the date and time at which a delivery that departs from a certain branch at a specific date and time will arrive at the delivery branch. In this embodiment, the notice postcard data generation function 403 refers to the transport diagram storage unit 404, inputs the underwriting date and time of underwriting branch and information for identifying the underwriting branch, identifies the relevant transportation schedule, and determines the delivery branch from the specific data. Calculate the estimated arrival date and time of the delivery to. Here, it is assumed that the underwriting time includes the day of the week.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a data configuration example of the branch-by-branch delivery schedule storage unit 405 included in the center installation device 400.

  The delivery schedule storage unit 405 for each branch stores delivery schedule information for delivery items for each branch. The delivery date storage unit 405 for each branch can be used to calculate the date and time at which a delivery arrived at a certain delivery branch at a specific date and time is delivered to a post at the recipient's home. In this embodiment, the notice postcard data generation function 403 refers to the branch-specific delivery schedule storage unit 405, specifies the delivery schedule by specifying the delivery branch information and the estimated arrival date and time of delivery to the delivery branch, and specifies the delivery schedule. The estimated delivery date and time of the delivery to the recipient is calculated from the data. As shown in FIG. 4, there is a time zone in which only the delivery delivered to the recipient is delivered, so information that can be identified is also stored in the branch-specific delivery schedule storage unit 405.

  FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a data configuration example of the desired delivery date storage unit 502 included in the center installation device 400.

  The desired delivery date storage unit 502 stores a desired delivery date for each delivery item. As shown in FIG. 5, the desired delivery date storage unit 502 stores a delivery item ID, an inquiry number, and a scheduled delivery date in association with each other. In this embodiment, the notice postcard data reception function 501 extracts the delivery ID, inquiry number, and scheduled delivery date from the notice postcard data from the center installation device 400, and associates the extracted data with each other to deliver the desired delivery date storage unit. Registered in 502. In addition, when the delivery date / time input function 504 notifies the recipient of the change of the scheduled delivery date / time, the delivery date / date or the scheduled delivery date / time or the inquiry number and the scheduled delivery date / time are input, Change to the date and time of the change notification. The information in the desired delivery date storage unit 502 is, for example, when a delivery ID or inquiry number is input to the delivery branch installation 500 from a front door delivery person, an output device of the delivery branch installation apparatus 500 or a portable terminal of the front delivery person Etc. and can be presented to the front door delivery member.

  FIG. 6 is a block diagram illustrating a hardware configuration example common to the underwriting branch installation apparatus 300, the center installation apparatus 400, and the delivery branch installation apparatus 500. As shown in FIG. 6, a computer (information processing device) that realizes the underwriting branch installation device 300, the center installation device 400, and the delivery branch installation device 500 includes an arithmetic device 100 such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a memory 102, and the like. An external storage device 104 such as a hard disk, a communication device 106 for communicating with other devices via the network 201, an input device 108 such as a keyboard, a mouse, and a button, and an output device 110 such as a monitor, An interface (for example, BUS) 112 for transmitting and receiving data between apparatuses is provided.

  The external storage device 104 stores programs to be executed by the arithmetic device 100 and various data. The arithmetic device 100 loads a program from the external storage device 104 to the memory 102 and executes it.

  FIG. 7 is a diagram showing information processing performed in the photographing apparatus 303 and the underwriting branch installation apparatus 300.

  First, the photographing apparatus 303 performs processing for photographing an image of a recipient address, a name including a name, and a delivery ID described in the delivery (step 701). Specifically, when the sender submits a registered mail address with the address and name of the recipient handwritten on the name, the sender receives it at the post office, which is the underwriting branch, After the exchange, this corresponds to a process of taking an image of the address name with the imaging device 303. In addition, as an alternative to the process of taking the address name image, the screen prompting the input of address name information is output to the output staff 110 of the branch office installation device 300 or the output device of the dedicated terminal, etc. You may make it make it. However, in this case, the character recognition process described later is not necessary.

  Next, the imaging device 303 transmits the acquired image data to the underwriting branch installation device 300 (step 702).

  Next, the underwriting branch installation device 300 receives the image data by the image data receiving function 301 and passes the received image data to the underwriting information transmitting function 302 (step 703). The underwriting information transmission function 302 acquires the current time from the system timer and sets it as the underwriting time (step 704). Next, the underwriting information transmission function 302 refers to the underwriting branch information storage unit 304 to acquire information for identifying the underwriting branch (for example, underwriting branch name) (step 705), and address image data (recipient) (Name, address, delivery ID, etc.), delivery time of delivery, and underwriting information including underwriting branch name are transmitted to the center installation apparatus 400 via the network 201 (step 706).

  For example, a registered postal mail from the sender X to the recipient Y who lives in the delivery area of the Aomori B branch is sent to the A branch in Kanagawa Prefecture on Wednesday, May 16, 2007 at 16:04. Scans the registered address of the registered mail with the photographing device 303, and if the current time obtained from the system timer by the underwriting information transmission function 302 is 16:10 on Wednesday, May 16, 2007, the underwriting information The information includes the name, address and delivery ID image of the recipient of the registered mail as information, Wednesday, May 16, 2007 at 16:10 as the underwriting time, and information including, for example, the name of the M branch as the underwriting branch name. .

  FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating information processing performed in the center installation device 400. Here, the center installation device 400 receives the underwriting information from the underwriting branch installation device 300, generates notice postcard data to be printed on the notice postcard, and transmits the generated notice postcard data to the delivery branch installation device 500. The process will be described.

  First, the underwriting information receiving function 401 receives underwriting information including address name image data, underwriting time, and underwriting branch name from the underwriting branch installation apparatus 300 via the network 201 (step 801). Next, the underwriting information reception function 401 passes the underwriting information to the notice postcard data generation function 403 (step 802). Next, the notice postcard data generation function 403 requests the character recognition function 402 to recognize handwritten characters and prints in the address name image data included in the underwriting information (step 803).

  Next, the character recognition function 402 performs processing for recognizing characters in the name image data and extracting the recognized characters (step 804). For example, a handwritten character of a registered mail from the sender A is recognized as electronic character data. FIG. 9 shows an example of the name of a delivery address and information extracted by the character recognition function 402. At this time, as information recognized as character data, it is only necessary to be able to specify the delivery item ID and the delivery district in the delivery branch. Therefore, information specifying the individual such as the name of the recipient and the name of the sender is not essential. In addition, as a result of character recognition, if there is a character that is likely to be erroneously recognized, the character recognition function 402 is, for example, a dedicated device connected to the network 201 so that it can be corrected manually from a dedicated terminal or the like. A function may be provided in which the character recognition result is transferred to a terminal or the like, and a character manually input by the keyboard is received via the network 201. Next, the character recognition function 402 passes the character recognition result to the notice postcard data generation function 403 (step 805).

  Next, the notice postcard data generation function 403 calculates the scheduled arrival date and time of the deliverable to the delivery branch based on the underwriting branch name, the underwriting date and time, and the transportation diagram information in the transportation diagram storage unit 404 (step 806). . For example, if the underwriting time of the branch A that has been underwritten is 16:10 on Wednesday, May 16, 2007, the scheduled arrival date and time of the delivery to the branch B is May 2007 from the transport diagram storage unit 404 of FIG. It will be 5:21 on Friday the 18th. The notice postcard data generation function 403 calculates the estimated delivery date and time of delivery to the recipient based on the estimated delivery date and time of delivery to the delivery branch and the delivery schedule information by branch in the delivery schedule storage unit 405 for each branch. (Step 807). For example, if the arrival time at the B branch is 5:21 on Friday, May 18, 2007, the scheduled delivery date and time of the delivery to the recipient Y is from the delivery schedule storage unit 405 by branch of FIG. It will be from 18:00 to 13:00 on Friday 18th. The notice postcard data generation function 403 stores the scheduled delivery date and time of the delivery to the recipient Y in the external storage device 104 as the scheduled delivery initial date and time. Next, the notice postcard data generation function 403 uses the character recognition result and information on the scheduled delivery date and time of the delivery to the recipient Y calculated in step 807 as the information to be written on the name of the notice postcard. Address, name, and information that should be entered on the communication side of the notice postage, such as the sender's name, inquiry number, sender name of delivery, delivery ID, scheduled delivery date and time of delivery to the recipient Precautionary postcard data including each change method is generated (step 808), and the generated preliminary postcard data is transferred to the notice postcard data transmission function 406 (step 809). The notice postcard data transmission function 406 transmits the notice postcard data to the delivery branch setting device 500 via the network 201 (step 810). As a method for changing the scheduled delivery date and time, for example, a change method by telephone, a change method from a PC (Personal Computer), and a change method from a barcode (for example, QR code) are conceivable. Here, in the case of the change method using the telephone, the telephone number for accepting the change is used. In the case of the change method from the PC, the URL of the server on the Internet to be accessed is the change method from the QR code. The designated change date and time is the specific content printed on each notice postcard. FIG. 10 shows a description example of the name and communication side of the notice postcard. In addition, there may be cases where the delivery name includes information identifying the product of the contents, such as a mid-year gift or a year-end gift, in the name label. In this case, information identifying the product of the contents may be included as the address information, and the contents may be described when the notice postcard data is generated. Further, as the postcard data, advertisement information for the recipient may be included in accordance with the contents. Specifically, at the time of mid-year and year-end gifts, the sales price range is estimated from the contents of the delivery, and information on the mid-year or year-end gifts in the same sales price range is obtained from other devices, etc. You may perform the process to include.

  FIG. 11 is a diagram showing information processing performed in the delivery branch installation apparatus 500. Here, the delivery branch setting device 500 receives the notice postcard data from the center setting device 400, prints the notice postcard, and after the printed notice postcard is delivered to the recipient, the delivery described in the notice postcard. Processing until the scheduled date and time is changed to the desired delivery date and time received from the recipient will be described.

  First, the notice postcard data reception function 501 receives notice postcard data from the center installation apparatus 400 via the network 201 (step 1001). Next, the notice postcard data receiving function 501 extracts the inquiry number, the delivery item ID, and the scheduled delivery date from the notice postcard data, and registers the extracted data in association with each other in the desired delivery date storage unit 502 (step 1002). . Next, the notice postcard data receiving function 501 passes the notice postcard data received in step 1001 to the notice postcard printing function 503 (step 1003). The notice postcard printing function 503 performs processing for printing the notice postcard data on the notice postcard (step 1004). In this case, if the information is sent from the center installation apparatus 400 so that printing is stopped until the post delivery person's departure time and a plurality of notice postcards are printed to the same recipient, one sheet is sent. The delivery date and time of a plurality of deliverables may be printed in the communication field of the notice postcard. Note that printing may be performed by the delivery branch installation apparatus 500 or from a peripheral device such as a printer connected to the delivery branch installation apparatus 500.

  After the notice postcard printing process, the post delivery person delivers the notice postcard to the recipient's post or the like. Here, if the recipient who confirmed the contents of the notice postcard needs to change the scheduled delivery date and time stated in the notice postcard, the delivery will be made by changing from the telephone, PC, or QR code described in the notice postcard. The desired delivery date and time is notified to the branch office staff or the delivery branch installation device 500. At this time, the delivery branch counter staff or delivery branch installation device 500 accepts the delivery ID, inquiry number, and desired delivery date and time. In the delivery branch setting device 500, the desired delivery date and time input function 504 refers to the desired delivery date and time storage unit 502, identifies the corresponding record from the received delivery ID and inquiry number, and the scheduled delivery date and time of the identified record (FIG. 5). ) Is updated to the desired delivery date and time received (step 1005). It should be noted that a means for accepting the recipient's e-mail address, telephone number, etc. may be provided at the time of notification of change of desired delivery date and time, and these means may be utilized as prior notice means for the next and subsequent times.

  The embodiment of the present invention has been described above. According to the embodiment described above, even when the recipient's telephone number is unknown at the time of the delivery request from the sender, and the recipient's e-mail address cannot be obtained, the delivery information is sent to the recipient before delivery. Not only can the notification be made, but the redelivery caused by the absence of the recipient can be reduced to further improve the efficiency of the delivery operation. This also makes it possible to reduce the load on the front door delivery person and reduce delivery costs.

  In the first embodiment, the scheduled delivery date and time of the delivery to the recipient is calculated (FIG. 8, step 807), but the following new problem occurs. In other words, if the time interval between the scheduled delivery date of the delivery and the actual delivery date of the notice postcard is narrow, the recipient will have the opportunity to change the scheduled delivery date described in the notice postcard. The delivery is delivered to the recipient without being done. As a result, it is not possible to reduce the probability of the absence of a recipient, and in addition, a business load and a delivery cost related to the printing and delivery of a notice postcard are generated.

  A method for solving this problem will be described with reference to FIG. The processing from step 801 to step 807 in FIG. 12 is the same as the processing shown in step 801 to step 807 in FIG. In this embodiment, the notice postcard data generation function 403 calculates the estimated delivery date and time of the delivery to the recipient (step 807), and then uses the information in the storage unit having the same configuration as the delivery schedule storage unit 405 for each branch. The difference between the estimated delivery date / time of the notice postcard to the recipient and the estimated delivery date / time of the delivery to the recipient calculated in step 807 is calculated, and it is determined whether or not the announcement postcard data can be generated from the calculation result (step 1201). As a result, when the difference is a predetermined time (for example, 12 hours or more), or when the difference is not within a specific time such as a holiday, the notice postcard data generation function 403 generates notice postcard data (step 1202), The generated notice postcard data is transferred to the notice postcard data transmission function 406 (step 1203). The notice postcard data transmission function 406 sends notice postcard data to the delivery branch installation device 500 via the network 201 (step 1204). On the other hand, in step 1201, if the difference is smaller than the predetermined time as a result of the difference calculation or falls within the specific time, the notice postcard data generation function 403 does not generate notice postcard data.

  Another method for solving the problem of the second embodiment will be described.

  When accepting deliveries from the sender, the sender has selected a service such as a grace period for the delivery days and receiving a discount (for example, delivery within a week from the date of delivery, 10% discount, etc.) When the desired delivery date is specified, information on the service is displayed on the name of the address by sticking a sticker or the like. As a result, the postponed delivery date or the desired delivery date is also added as address name information. In the process of recognizing characters from the face image data by the character recognition function 402 (step 804 in FIG. 8), the postponed delivery date or desired delivery date and time is set. Be recognized. Further, in the notice postcard data generation process (FIG. 8, step 808), the scheduled delivery date and time of the delivery printed on the notice postcard is set to the date and time when the delivery grace period is used to the maximum or the desired delivery date and time. As a result, the difference between the scheduled delivery date and time of the notice postcard calculated by the same processing as in the second embodiment and the scheduled delivery date and time of the delivery is increased, and the problem described in the second embodiment is solved.

  In the first embodiment, it is necessary to put the created notice postcard (FIG. 8, step 808) into the delivery group of the post delivery person, which causes a new problem that a new work load is generated.

  A solution to this problem will be described with reference to FIG. As shown in FIG. 13, a delivery branch installation device 500 is provided with a device (hereinafter referred to as a post delivery sorter) 504 for rearranging post delivery items in a delivery order, such as a mail sorting machine, and further a postcard is given to the post delivery sorter 504. A printing function 503 is provided. With this configuration, the postcard printing process 1004 (FIG. 11) is performed while other deliverables are being rearranged by the post delivery sorter 504, and are put into the deliverers' deliverables in the order of delivery. be able to. If there is no delivery schedule other than the notice postcard at the scheduled delivery date and time of the notice postcard, the printing of the notice postcard may be stopped.

  Post-delivery items to prevent post deliverers from forgetting delivery of handed deliveries when there are staff members who deliver deliveries and post deliveries at the same time at the scheduled delivery date and time for deliveries to recipients. The post-delivery prevention postcard of the hand-delivered deliverable may be generated by processing similar to the notice postcard, and the generated post-delivery prevention postcard may be mixed into the post delivery group. Specifically, the processing from the acquisition of the image data to the calculation of the scheduled delivery date and time of the delivery to the recipient is the same as the processing shown from step 701 to step 807 in the first embodiment. In this embodiment, in step 808, the notice postcard data generation function 403 generates postcard data for preventing forgotten delivery of handed deliveries having contents as shown in FIG.

  The printing schedule of the post-delivery forgotten prevention postcard is linked with the scheduled delivery date and time of the delivery, and is printed before the post delivery person departs at the scheduled date and time.

  When the post delivery person performs the post delivery, he / she remembers that there is a delivery delivered by looking at the name of the postcard for forgotten delivery, and delivers the delivery to the recipient.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 100 ... Arithmetic unit, 102 ... Memory, 104 ... External storage device, 106 ... Communication device, 108 ... Input device, 110 ... Output device, 201 ... Network, 300 ..Underwriting branch installation device, 303... Photographing device, 400... Center installation device, 500.

Claims (19)

An information processing device connected to a device installed in a delivery branch of a delivery item and a device installed in a delivery branch of the delivery item via a network;
A first storage unit for storing transportation schedule information;
A second storage unit for storing branch delivery schedule information;
When information including the address, name, underwriting branch specifying information, and underwriting time of the delivery is received from the underwriting branch installation device via the network, the underwriting branch specifying information and the delivery are received. The estimated arrival date and time of the delivery to the delivery branch is calculated from the delivery time information and the transportation diagram information, and the estimated arrival time of the delivery to the delivery branch and the delivery schedule information for each branch to the recipient are calculated. Calculating the scheduled delivery date and time of the deliverable, addressing the recipient's address and name as postcard address information to the recipient, identifying the delivery case as the postcard communication information, and the delivery Delivery postcard data including a scheduled date and time and a method of changing the scheduled delivery date is generated, and the generated delivery postcard data is transmitted to the delivery branch installation device via the network. Having an arithmetic processing unit for performing management,
An information processing apparatus characterized by that. The method for changing the scheduled delivery date includes any one of a change method by telephone, a computer connectable to the information processing apparatus via a network, and a change method from a barcode.
The information processing apparatus according to claim 1. A third storage unit for storing delivery schedule information by branch of the delivery postcard to the recipient;
The arithmetic processing unit includes:
The difference between the delivery postcard delivery date and time of the delivery postcard to the recipient calculated using the branch-specific delivery schedule information and the delivery date and time is calculated, and it is determined whether or not delivery postcard data can be generated from the calculation result, As a result of the determination, when the difference is equal to or longer than a predetermined time or when the difference is not within a specific time, the delivery postcard data is generated.
The information processing apparatus according to claim 2. When the delivery item has a grace period, or the delivery date and time specified by the sender of the delivery item, the arithmetic processing unit uses the estimated delivery date and time, the date and time when the delivery grace day is maximized, or the Specified delivery desired date and time,
The information processing apparatus according to claim 3. The arithmetic processing unit generates postcard data for preventing a delivery person from forgetting to deliver the delivery;
The information processing apparatus according to claim 4. An information processing device installed at a delivery branch of a delivery item,
A storage unit for storing the estimated delivery date and time of the delivery and information for specifying the delivery item, respectively;
A postcard that is delivered to the recipient of the delivery before delivering the delivery, the address and name of the recipient as address information of the delivery postcard, and the delivery as information of the communication of the delivery postcard. Receiving the delivery postcard data including information specifying the case, the scheduled delivery date and time, and the method of changing the scheduled delivery date and time from the delivery postcard data transmission source device via the network;
Print the received postcard data received;
An arithmetic processing unit that performs a process of changing a scheduled delivery date and time of the delivery item specified as the delivery item specifying information to a desired delivery date and time of the recipient received by the delivery date and time change method,
An information processing apparatus characterized by that. The method for changing the scheduled delivery date includes any one of a change method by telephone, a computer connectable to the information processing apparatus via a network, and a change method from a barcode.
The information processing apparatus according to claim 6. The arithmetic processing unit cancels printing of the delivery postcard when there is no delivery schedule other than the delivery postcard delivery at the scheduled delivery date and time of the delivery postcard.
The information processing apparatus according to claim 7. When printing is stopped from the delivery postcard data transmission source device until the departure time of the delivery person and a plurality of delivery postcards are printed to the same recipient via the network, The arithmetic processing unit prints scheduled delivery dates and times of the plurality of deliverables in the communication field of one delivery postcard.
The information processing apparatus according to claim 8. An information processing method in an information processing apparatus connected to a device installed in a delivery branch of a delivery item and a device installed in the delivery branch of the delivery item via a network,
The information processing apparatus includes a first storage unit that stores transportation schedule information and a second storage unit that stores delivery schedule information for each branch,
From the underwriting branch installation device, receiving information including the address of the recipient of the delivery, name, underwriting branch identification information, and underwriting time of the delivery via the network,
Calculate the estimated arrival date and time of the delivery to the delivery branch from the underwriting branch specifying information, the underwriting time of the delivery and the transportation diagram information,
From the calculated estimated arrival time of the delivery to the delivery branch and the delivery schedule information for each branch, the estimated delivery date and time of the delivery to the recipient is calculated.
A method for changing the address and name of the recipient as postal address information of the postcard to be delivered to the recipient, information for specifying the delivery case as communication information of the postcard, the scheduled delivery date, and the scheduled delivery date and time Generate postcard data including and
A process of transmitting the generated delivery postcard data to the delivery branch installation device via the network is performed.
An information processing method characterized by the above. The method for changing the scheduled delivery date includes any one of a change method by telephone, a computer connectable to the information processing apparatus via a network, and a change method from a QR code.
The information processing method according to claim 10. The information processing apparatus includes a third storage unit that stores branch delivery schedule information of the delivery postcard to a recipient,
The difference between the delivery postcard delivery date and time of the delivery postcard to the recipient calculated using the branch-specific delivery schedule information and the delivery date and time is calculated, and it is determined whether or not delivery postcard data can be generated from the calculation result, As a result of the determination, when the difference is equal to or longer than a predetermined time or when the difference is not within a specific time, the delivery postcard data is generated.
The information processing method according to claim 11. If the delivery has a grace period, or if the delivery date is specified by the sender of the delivery, the scheduled delivery date is set to the date and time when the delivery grace period is maximized or the designated delivery date and time specified. And
The information processing method according to claim 12. Generating postcard data to prevent a deliveryman from forgetting to deliver the delivery;
The information processing method according to claim 13. An information processing method in an information processing apparatus installed in a delivery branch of a delivery item,
The information processing apparatus includes a storage unit that stores the estimated delivery date and time of the delivery item and information for specifying the delivery item in association with each other,
A postcard that is delivered to the recipient of the delivery before delivering the delivery, the address and name of the recipient as address information of the delivery postcard, and the delivery as information of the communication of the delivery postcard. Receiving the delivery postcard data including information specifying the case, the scheduled delivery date and time, and the method of changing the scheduled delivery date and time from the delivery postcard data transmission source device via the network;
Print the received postcard data received;
Performing a process of changing the scheduled delivery date and time of the delivery item specified as the delivery item specifying information to the desired delivery date and time of the recipient received by the delivery date and time change method;
An information processing method characterized by the above. The method for changing the scheduled delivery date includes any one of a change method by telephone, a computer connectable to the information processing apparatus via a network, and a change method from a barcode.
The information processing method according to claim 15. When there is no delivery schedule other than the delivery postcard delivery at the scheduled delivery date and time of the delivery postcard, a process for canceling the printing of the delivery postcard is performed.
The information processing method according to claim 16. When printing is stopped from the delivery postcard data transmission source device until the departure time of the delivery person and a plurality of delivery postcards are printed to the same recipient via the network, 1 The process of printing the scheduled delivery date and time of the plurality of deliverables in the communication field of the delivery postcard of sheets,
The information processing method according to claim 17.   A program for causing a computer to execute the information processing method according to any one of claims 10 to 18.

Images