Reservation method offering an alternative event Number:7,152,038 from the United States Patent and Trademark Office (PTO) owispatent The present invention relates to a reservation server which comprises a retaining section for retaining store/facility information including a reservation-needed service and a reservation situation, a network terminal for outputting alternative event substituting for the service, a receiving section for receiving a desired service, a reservation managing section for selectively reading out the store/facility information and the alternative event, and a transmitting section for transmitting the information and event. Accordingly, a service provider can notify a user of a service and reservation situation of a store-near the user or the start/end time of the service, and the time to be taken for the service and can suggest an alternative event in a time zone convenient to the user.<H alternative, Reservation, Reservation, met, 7152038.html, Patent, pto, 7152038

Title: Reservation method offering an alternative event

Abstract: The present invention relates to a reservation server which comprises a retaining section for retaining store/facility information including a reservation-needed service and a reservation situation, a network terminal for outputting alternative event substituting for the service, a receiving section for receiving a desired service, a reservation managing section for selectively reading out the store/facility information and the alternative event, and a transmitting section for transmitting the information and event. Accordingly, a service provider can notify a user of a service and reservation situation of a store-near the user or the start/end time of the service, and the time to be taken for the service and can suggest an alternative event in a time zone convenient to the user.

Patent Number: 7,152,038 Issued on 12/19/2006 to Murashita, et al.

Inventors: Murashita; Kimitaka (Kawasaki, JP), Iwata; Satoshi (Kawasaki, JP), Suzuki; Shoji (Kawasaki, JP)
Assignee: Fujitsu Limited (Kawasaki, JP)

Appl. No.: 09/824,237

Filed: April 3, 2001

Foreign Application Priority Data


Nov 22, 2000 [JP]			2000-356555

Current U.S. Class: 705/5

Current International Class: G06Q 10/00 (20060101)

References Cited [Referenced By]

U.S. Patent Documents


5272474	December 1993	Hilliard
5359508	October 1994	Rossides
5596636	January 1997	Davies et al.
5712979	January 1998	Graber et al.
5978770	November 1999	Waytena et al.
5987420	November 1999	Maeda et al.
6189783	February 2001	Motomiya et al.
6249767	June 2001	Okayama et al.
6876973	April 2005	Visconti
7070539	July 2006	Brown et al.
7082402	July 2006	Conmy et al.

Foreign Patent Documents


11250155	Sep., 1999	JP

Other References

MacArthur, Kate; Fighting a Wait Problem: As more Americans choose to dine out these days, restaurants try to alleviate longer waits with entertainment, takeout; Jun. 5, 2000; Advertising Age, v71, p. 22; dialog copy 2 pages. cited by examiner.

Primary Examiner: Dixon; Thomas A.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Staas & Halsey LLP

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A reservation server comprising: a retaining section for retaining store information including a reservation-needed service requiring reservation and a reservation information of said reservation-needed service; an alternative event information outputting section for outputting first alternative event information on an event substituting for said reservation-needed service; a receiving section for receiving desired service or desired event information which a user desires, and is transmitted from a user terminal through the communication network; a reservation managing section for selectively reading out said store information retained in said retaining section and said first alternative event information outputted from said alternative event information outputting section on the basis of said desired service or desired event received in said receiving section; and a transmitting section for transmitting, through the communication network to said user terminal, at least one of said store information and said first alternative event information read out in said reservation managing section, wherein said reservation managing section, when receiving a reservation from the user terminal, updates the store information retained in said retaining section, thereby completing the reservation, and wherein said transmitting section, when the reservation is completed by said reservation managing section, transmits, to the user terminal, second alternative event information, which is different from the reservation-needed service and the first alternative event information and is practicable for a user of the user terminal.

2. A reservation server according to claim 1, further comprising a waiting time calculating section for calculating, as a waiting time, a difference between a start time, included in said alternative event information selected by said reservation managing section, or a reservation-needed service start time, included in said store information selected by said reservation managing section, and the present time, and for outputting the calculated waiting time.

3. A reservation server according to claim 1, further comprising an end time calculating section for calculating, as an end time, the sum of a performance time to be taken for said event, included in said alternative event information selected by said reservation managing section, or a performance time to be taken for said reservation-needed service, included in said store information selected by said reservation managing section, and the present time, and for outputting the calculated end time.

4. A reservation server according to claim 1, further comprising an other reservation information notifying section for outputting, to said transmitting section, a reservation information on a reservation-needed event requiring reservation, among said alternative event information outputted from said alternative event information outputting section.

5. A reservation server according to claim 4, wherein said other reservation information notifying section is made to output practicable information of said alternative event information as practicable event information to said transmitting section.

6. A reservation server according to claim 5, wherein said other reservation information notifying section is made to output said practicable event information on the basis of a user traveling time, a user's waiting time at an other store and an event performance time in said other store.

7. A reservation server according to claim 5, wherein said alternative event information outputting section is constructed as an event information retaining section to retain and output said alternative event information according to time zone, and said other reservation information notifying section is constructed as an event notifying section to extract said practicable event information from said alternative event information outputted from said event information retaining section on the basis of the present time, and for outputting the extracted practicable event information to said transmitting section.

8. A reservation server according to claim 4, wherein said retaining section is connected, through a server network, to another reservation server which retains store information that is different from the store information retained in said retaining section, and wherein said alternative event information outputting section is constructed as an other reservation server interface section to output, as said alternative event information, other reservation server alternative event information retained in said another reservation server connected through the server network, and said other reservation information notifying section is made to extract practicable other reservation server alternative event information, said other reservation server alternative event information satisfying a predetermined condition from said other reservation server alternative event information outputted from said other reservation server interface section, and to output the extracted practicable other reservation server alternative event information to said transmitting section.

9. A reservation server according to claim 8, further comprising a reservation mediating section for transmitting a reservation request from a user, received in said receiving section to said other reservation server through said other reservation server interface section.

10. A reservation server according to claim 9, further comprising a utilization information retaining section for retaining an access log between said reservation server and said other reservation server, said utilization information retaining section being made to calculate an introduction charge on information provided by said other reservation server to said reservation server and an introduction charge on information provided from said reservation server to said other reservation server on the basis of said access log, and to retain both the calculated introduction charges.

11. A reservation server according to claim 1, further comprising a discount information generating section for generating discount information or value-added information on said alternative event information outputted from said alternative event information outputting section and for outputting said discount information or said value-added information to said transmitting section.

12. A reservation server comprising: a retaining section for retaining store information including a reservation-needed service requiring reservation and reservation information of said reservation-needed service; an alternative event information outputting section for outputting alternative event information on an event substituting for said reservation-needed service; a receiving section for receiving desired service or desired event information which a user desires, and which is transmitted from a user terminal through the communication network; a reservation managing section for selectively reading out said store information retained in said retaining section and said alternative event information outputted from said alternative event information outputting section on the basis of said desired service or desired event received by said receiving section; a transmitting section for transmitting, through the communication network to said user terminal, at least either one of said store information and alternative event information read out in said reservation managing section; and an other reservation information notifying section which outputs, to said transmitting section, reservation information of a reservation-needed event which needs reservation, out of the alternative event information output from said alternative event information outputting section, wherein said other reservation information notifying section outputs, to said transmitting section, practicable alternative event information, out of the alternative event information, as practicable event information, and wherein said other reservation information notifying section is made to extract a longest event taking a maximum performance time among events, included in said alternative event information, on the basis of an event end time obtained by adding said waiting time to a performance time to be taken for each of said events, for including the extracted longest event in said practicable event information and outputting the longest event included in said practicable event information.

13. A reservation server comprising: a retaining section for retaining store information including a reservation-needed service requiring reservation and reservation information of said reservation-needed service; an alternative event information outputting section for outputting alternative event information on an event substituting for said reservation-needed service; a receiving section for receiving desired service or desired event information which a user desires, and which is transmitted from a user terminal through the communication network; a reservation managing section for selectively reading out said store information retained in said retaining section and said alternative event information outputted from said alternative event information outputting section on the basis of said desired service or desired event received by said receiving section; a transmitting section for transmitting, through the communication network to said user terminal, at least either one of said store information and alternative event information read out in said reservation managing section; and an other reservation information notifying section which outputs, to said transmitting section, reservation information of a reservation-needed event which needs reservation, out of the alternative event information output from said alternative event information outputting section, wherein said other reservation information notifying section outputs, to said transmitting section, practicable alternative event information, out of the alternative event information, as practicable event information, and wherein said other reservation information notifying section is made to extract a longest event taking a maximum performance time among events, included in said alternative event information, on the basis of an event end time obtained by adding said waiting time to a performance time to be taken for each of said events, for including the extracted longest event in said practicable event information and outputting the longest event included in said practicable event information.

14. A user terminal comprising: a receiving section for receiving, through the communication network, at least either one of (i) store information including a reservation-needed service requiring reservation and reservation information of said reservation-needed service and (ii) first alternative event information about an event substituting for said reservation-needed service, retained in a reservation server; a displaying section for displaying said store information or alternative event information received in said receiving section; a selecting section for selecting a desired service or desired event which a user desires, among said store information or alternative event information displayed on said displaying section; and a transmitting section for transmitting, through the communication network, the desired service or desired event selected in said selecting section to said reservation server, wherein said receiving section, after completion of reservation based on the desired service or the desired event transmitted by said transmitting section, receives second alternative event information, which is different from the reservation-needed service and the first alternative event information and is practicable for a user of the user terminal.

15. A user terminal according to claim 14, further comprising a discount information retaining section for retaining discount information or value-added information transmitted from said reservation server and received in said receiving section.

16. A reservation system comprising: a user terminal for transmitting and receiving data; and a reservation server, connected through a radio network to said user terminal, for outputting at least either one of (i) store information including a reservation-needed service requiring reservation and a reservation information of said reservation-needed service and (ii) first alternative event information on an event substituting for said reservation-needed service to said user terminal, said reservation server including: a retaining section for retaining said store information; an alternative event information outputting section for outputting said alternative event information; a first receiving section for receiving, through the radio network, a desired service or desired event which a user desires, and is transmitted from said user terminal; a reservation managing section for selectively reading out said store information, retained in said retaining section, and said first alternative event information, outputted from said alternative event information outputting section, on the basis of the desired service or desired event received in said first receiving section; and a first transmitting section for transmitting, through the radio network to said user terminal, at least either one of said store information and alternative event information read out by said reservation managing section, wherein said reservation managing section updates the store information retained in said retaining section, thereby accepting a reservation request from a user of the user terminal, and wherein said first transmitting section, when the reservation is accepted by said reservation managing section, transmits, through the radio network to the user terminal, second alternative event information, which is different from the reservation-needed service and the first alternative event information and is practicable for a user of the user terminal, said user terminal including: a second receiving section for receiving at least either one of said store information and alternative event information transmitted from said first transmitting section of said reservation server through the radio network; a displaying section for displaying said store information or alternative event information received in said second receiving section; a selecting section for selecting the desired service or desired event which the user desires, among said store information or alternative event information displayed on said displaying section; and a second transmitting section for transmitting, through the radio network to said reservation server, the desired service or desired event selected by said selecting section.

17. A reservation method comprising: a first transmitting step in which a reservation server transmits, to a user terminal connected through a radio network to said reservation server, at least one of store information including a reservation-needed service requiring reservation and reservation information of said reservation-needed service and first alternative event information on an event substituting for said reservation-needed service; a reserving step in which said user terminal transmits, to said reservation server, a desired service or desired event which a user desires, among said store information or alternative event information transmitted in said first transmitting step; a selecting step in which said reservation server selects at least one of said store information and said first alternative event information on said event substituting for said reservation-needed service, on the basis of the desired service or desired event transmitted in said reserving step; a second transmitting step in which said reservation server transmits, to said user terminal, said store information or first alternative event information selected by said selecting step; a reservation accepting step in which the reservation server accepts a reservation from a user of the user terminal, when the user makes a reservation based on the store information and the first alternative event information transmitted in said second transmitting step; and a third transmitting step for transmitting, to the user terminal, second alternative event information, which is different from the reservation-needed service and the first alternative event information and is practicable for the user.

18. A reservation method according to claim 17, wherein said first transmitting step includes: an other reservation server access step in which said reservation server has access to other reservation server alternative event information retained in at least an other reservation server which is connected through a server network to said reservation server; a practicable event information extracting step in which said reservation server extracts, from said other reservation server alternative event information accessed in the other reservation server access step, practicable event information practicable within a user's waiting time to be taken until a desired service starts; and a practicable event information transmitting step in which said reservation server transmits, to said user terminal, said practicable event information extracted in said practicable event information extracting step.

19. A reservation method according to claim 17, wherein said selecting step includes: an other reservation server access step in which said reservation server gains access to other reservation server store information or other reservation server alternative event information retained in an other reservation server connected through a server network to said reservation server; a waiting time calculating step in which said reservation server calculates a user's waiting time, to be taken until a desired service or a desired event starts, on the basis of said other reservation server store information or other reservation server alternative event information accessed in said other reservation server access step; and an extracting step in which said reservation server extracts, from the desired service or the desired event, a service or event practicable within the waiting time calculated in said waiting time calculating step.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

(1) Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a reservation server, a user terminal, a reservation system and a reservation method, suitable for use in, for example, ticket purchase/reservation at movie theaters, recreation grounds or the like having a window for customers, such as ticket or box office, or in service reservation at restaurants.

(2) Description of the Related Art

In general, when getting a ticket for a movie theater, theater, recreation ground, transportation means or the like, a user stands in a queue in front of a ticket office in order to purchase it directly, or reserves it through telephone or Internet. Furthermore, the user purchases, for example, a ticket for a movie theater, he/she desires, through an operator (ticket seller) or a ticket issuing machine at a window for customers (user window; sometimes, which will hereinafter be referred to simply as a "window"), or purchases a railroad ticket or an airline ticket.

In addition, a user frequently makes reservation through remote access means such as telephone or Internet (which will sometimes be referred to hereinafter as "reservation made through remote access means"). For example, the telephone reservation has come into widespread use for concert tickets, sports tickets, seats in restaurants and others.

An operator has access to a server for managing ticket reservation in order to size up the ticket issuing situation of a terminal or a ticket issuing machine, thereby accomplishing services to users.

For the telephone reservation, a host server is designed to reserve and issue a ticket desired (demanded) by a user, through a remote user terminal or line.

At this time, as well known, a line of people is made in front of a window, or a queue is made for use of a ticket issuing machine or on reservation calls by a remote access means. This queue usually happens not only at a ticket office but also at various places such as a cash register, a window of a bank and a cash dispenser.

However, in order to purchase of a ticket or reservation thereon, users must queue up at a window and face an operator on a one-to-one basis. In addition, when using an attraction (big wheel, roller coaster, or the like) in a recreation ground or receiving a service such as buying bargain goods which may requires users to wait in a queue, a user is almost forced to go directly to the attraction spot and stand in a queue at a window therefor.

For these reasons, with a conventional reservation system, a user is confronted with the following problems (1-1) to (1-5) while a store with the following problems (2-1) to (2-5).

(1-1) While the user stands in a queue, limitation is imposed on his/her activities. That is, the user cannot leave that place in the meantime. For example, when restrained for thirty minutes, the user cannot do anything in the meantime.

(1-2) Although the user can estimate the degree of jam to some extent, the user cannot decide if he/she will be able to receive a service (reservation-needed service) For example, the user cannot check whether the tickets for a movie are sold out or not.

(1-3) Reservation to be made through a remote access means requires access to a server. Accordingly, the server does not give a chance for reservation to the user.

(1-4) With the reservation to be made through a remote access means, even if the user receives other service information or advertisement from a server when making reservation, the user cannot seize whether or not they are acceptable in view of distance or time to be taken. In addition, such service information on a distance-wise or time-wise impracticality is useless to the user in view of time, communication change or the like.

(1-5) When reservation cannot be made because of sold-out, the user needs to search another service by himself or herself (which sometimes will be referred to hereinafter as an "alternative service") substituting for the sold-out reservation, the user wants.

On the other hand, a store will be confronted with the following problems.

(2-1) The store must place a predetermined number of operators at all times, or prepare change or ticket paper in a ticket issuing machine.

(2-2) The store needs to count the number of users or the length of a queue made for purchase of, for example, popular goods in front of a window before the business hour, and if there is a possibility that the store cannot offer the service to the users, the store needs to inform the users of this situation.

(2-3) The store needs to conduct a window service quickly when a large number of users are waiting. Accordingly, for example, the store cannot offer a service other than reservation to users while keeping the users waiting.

(2-4) The store cannot select only the users existing in the neighborhood, i.e., in a store's service available range to transmit a service information to the selected users.

(2-5) When a user makes a reservation through a remote access means, the store does not know where the user is at the moment the reservation is made. Accordingly, it is impossible for the store to notify the user of other services (or service information) available near the place where the user is. Even if the store should notify the user of other services information, it is impossible for the store to know whether or not the notified services are really available for the user. Therefore, the frequency which the user actually uses the notified service information remains low.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, the present invention has been developed in order to eliminate the above-mentioned problems, and it is therefore an object of the invention to provide a reservation server, user terminal, reservation system and reservation method, designed for a service provider to notify a user(s) of a service of a store within easy reach of the user, a service reservation information, a service start/end time, and a time to be taken for the service in real time, or to suggest or propose an alternative event substituting for that service in a time zone convenient to the user.

For this purpose, in accordance with an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a reservation server comprising a retaining section (means) for retaining store/facility information including a reservation-needed service requiring reservation and a reservation information of the reservation-needed service, an alternative event information outputting section for outputting alternative event information on an event substituting for the reservation-needed service, a receiving section for receiving a desired service or desired event which a user desires, and is transmitted from a user terminal, a reservation managing section for selectively reading out the store/facility information retained in the retaining section and the alternative event information outputted from the alternative event information outputting section on the basis of the desired service or desired event received in the receiving section, and a transmitting section for transmitting, to the user terminal, at least one of the store/facility information and alternative event information read out in the reservation managing section.

Accordingly, this can inform a user within a predetermined range of a store situation in real time by transmitting reservation circumstances to a user terminal, thus promoting an increase of customers.

Furthermore, in accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a reservation server comprising a retaining section for retaining store/facility information including a reservation-needed service and a reservation information on the number of seats of the reservation-needed service by way of a user window or remote access means, an alternative event information outputting section for outputting alternative event information including an event substituting for the reservation-needed service and a start/end time of the event, a receiving section for receiving a desired service or desired event which is desired by a user, and is transmitted from a user terminal, a reservation managing section for selectively reading out the store/facility information retained in the retaining section and the alternative event information outputted from the alternative event information outputting section on the basis of the desired service or desired event received in the receiving section, and a transmitting section for transmitting, to the user terminal, at least one of the store/facility information and alternative event information read out in the reservation managing section.

Accordingly, this permits access to an other reservation server after reservation to inform a user of an other reservation information or a reservation information on a nearby store, thus transmitting a reservation information within currently easy access of the user to the user in an appropriate timing.

In addition, it is also appropriate that the reservation server further comprises a waiting time calculating section for calculating, as a waiting time, a difference between the start time included in the alternative event information selected by the reservation managing section or the reservation-needed service start time included in the store/facility information selected by the reservation managing section and the present time, and for outputting the calculated waiting time. In this case, reservation server can select and give only practicable information so that user can reserve. So, a store having the reservation server can recommend the use of its own other services or introduce another store with respect to a time a user spends after the completion of reservation other than reservation waiting time of that store, collecting introduction charges or advertisement charges from other stores.

Still additionally, it is also appropriate that the reservation server further comprises an end time calculating section for calculating and outputting, as an end time, the sum of a performance time, to be taken for the event included in the alternative event information selected by the reservation managing section, or the performance time, to be taken for a reservation-needed service included in the store/facility information selected by the reservation managing section, and the present time. In this case, a variety of services becomes possible, and the user can make certain reservations on these services.

Moreover, it is also appropriate that the reservation server further comprises an other reservation information notifying section for outputting, to the transmitting section, a reservation information on a reservation-needed event among the alternative event information outputted from the alternative event information outputting section. In this case, the other reservation information notifying section can be made to output practicable information among the alternative event information as performing event information to the transmitting section, to output performing event information on the basis of a user traveling time, a user's waiting time (time that a user waits) at an other store and an event performance time in the other store, or to extract a longest event taking a maximum performance time from events included in the alternative event information on the basis of an event end time obtained by adding a waiting time to a performance time to be taken for each of the events for putting the extracted longest event in performing event information and outputting the longest event included performing event information. This can transmit a service or event performance time even in the case of offering, to the user, a service which defies the determination of a definite time.

Still moreover, it is also appropriate that the alternative event information outputting section is constructed as an event information retaining section to retain and output the alternative event information according to time zone, and the other reservation information notifying section is constructed as an event notifying section to extract the performing event information from the alternative event information outputted from the event information retaining section on the basis of the present time for outputting the extracted performing event information to the transmitting section. Thus, a user can receive a service in a time zone convenient to the user.

Furthermore, it is also appropriate that the alternative event information outputting section is constructed as an other reservation server interface section to output, as the alternative event information, other reservation server alternative event information retained in an other reservation server connected through a server network, and the other reservation information notifying section is made to extract practicable other reservation server alternative event information satisfying a predetermined condition from the other reservation server alternative event information outputted from the other reservation server interface section for outputting the extracted practicable other reservation server alternative event information to the transmitting section. In this case, the reservation server can offer diverse service to the user.

Still furthermore, it is also appropriate that the reservation server further comprises a reservation mediating section for transmitting a reservation request from a user, received in the receiving section, through the other reservation server interface section to the other reservation server. In this case, it is possible to avoid the drain of services to be introduced.

In addition, it is also appropriate that a utilization situation retaining section is provided to retain an access log between the reservation server and the other reservation server, and is made to calculate an introduction charge on information provided by the other reservation server to the reservation server and an introduction charge on information provided by the reservation server to the other reservation server on the basis of the access log and retain both the calculated introduction charges. This allows the access log on introduction or reservation at an another store to be preserved therein, and permits the collection of the introduction charges corresponding to the access frequency such as the number or introductions or the number of reservation mediations done by the reservation server.

Moreover, it is also appropriate that a discount/value-added information generating section is provided to generate discount information or value-added information on the alternative event information outputted from the alternative event information outputting section and to output the discount information or the value-added information to the transmitting section. Thus, by transmitting a coupon ticket of an another store to a user terminal at introduction or reservation mediation, it is possible to strongly recommend the use of a service introduced.

In addition, in accordance with a further aspect of the present invention, there is provided a reservation server comprising a retaining section for retaining store/facility information including a reservation-needed service and a reservation information on the reservation-needed service, a handling table for retaining handling scheme data on handling by a store or facility according to reservation information of the store/facility information, and a store handling selecting section for selecting desired handling scheme data among the handling scheme data retained in the handling table on the basis of the reservation information retained in the retaining section to notify an other store or facility of the selected handling scheme data.

In this case, it is also appropriate that the store handling selecting section is made to read out and output the handling scheme data from the handling table on the basis of, of the reservation information, a rate of change representative of variation in the number of reservations for a predetermined period of time.

Accordingly, it is possible to monitor the user reservation situation in a reservation system at all times, and hence to suggest the handling scheme to be conducted by the store according to the present situation, thus enabling a store to gain larger profit and permitting the offer of a service which a user desires.

Furthermore, in accordance with a further aspect of the present invention, there is provided a user terminal comprising a receiving section for receiving at least one of store/facility information and alternative event information retained in a reservation server, a displaying section for displaying the store/facility information or alternative event information received in the receiving section, a selecting section for selecting a desired service or desired event which a user desires, of the store/facility information or alternative event information displayed on the displaying section, and a transmitting section for transmitting the desired service or desired event selected in the selecting section to the reservation server.

Accordingly, in a case in which a reservation at the store itself requires a waiting time, a user can receive only information practicable by the user within the waiting time, while a store with a reservation server can recommend the employment of its own other services, or introduce other stores to get introduction charges or advertisement charges from the other stores.

In addition, it is also appropriate that the user terminal further comprises a discount/value-added information retaining section for retaining discount information or value-added information transmitted from the reservation server and received in the receiving section. In this case, a user can show the displaying section of the user terminal to a clerk in, for example, a store or facility for receiving a service written on the discount ticket or the coupon ticket.

Furthermore, in accordance with a further aspect of the present invention, there is provided a reservation system comprising a user terminal for transmitting and receiving data and a reservation server connected through a radio network to the user terminal for outputting at least one of store/facility information and alternative event information to the user terminal, the reservation server including a retaining section for retaining the store/facility information, an alternative event information outputting section for outputting the alternative event information, a first receiving section for receiving a desired service or desired event which is desired by a user, and is transmitted from the user terminal, a reservation managing section for selectively reading out the store/facility information retained in the retaining section and the alternative event information outputted from the alternative event information outputting section on the basis of the desired service or desired event received in the first receiving section, and a first transmitting section for transmitting, to the user terminal, at least one of the store/facility information and alternative event information read out by the reservation managing section, while the user terminal including a second receiving section for receiving at least one of the store/facility information and alternative event information transmitted from the first transmitting section of the reservation server, a displaying section for displaying the store/facility information or the alternative event information received in the second receiving section, a selecting section for selecting the desired service or desired event that the user desires, of the store/facility information or alternative event information displayed on the displaying section, and a second transmitting section for transmitting, to the reservation server, the desired service or desired event selected by the selecting section.

Accordingly, a user can make reservation at an another store from the first position without moving to a communicable (communication-feasible or communicatable) range of a reservation server of the another store. In addition, the reservation-permissible range is enlarged to be larger than a communicable range of a radio network of the reservation server.

Furthermore, in accordance with a further aspect of the present invention, there is provided a reservation method comprising a first transmitting step in which a reservation server transmits, to a user terminal, at least one of store/facility information and alternative event information, a reserving step in which the user terminal transmits, to the reservation server, a desired service or desired event which a user desires, of the store/facility information or alternative event information transmitted in the first transmitting step, a selecting step in which the reservation server selects at least one of the store/facility information and alternative event information on the event substituting for the reservation-needed service on the basis of the desired service or desired event transmitted in the reserving step, and a second transmitting step in which the reservation server transmits, to the user terminal, the store/facility information or alternative event information selected by the selecting step.

Accordingly, it is possible to effectively issue a notification to a user, for example, by introducing a service to be done within a limited time instead of a store.

In this case, it is also appropriate that the first transmitting step includes an other reservation server access step in which the reservation server gains access to other reservation server alternative event information retained in at least other reservation server which is connected through a server network to the reservation server, a performing event information extracting step in which the reservation server extracts, from the other reservation server alternative event information accessed in the other reservation server access step, performing event information practicable within a user's waiting time to be taken until a desired service starts, and a performing event information transmitting step in which the reservation server transmits, to the user terminal, the performing event information extracted in the performing event information extracting step. Thus, through introduction and reservation mediation, the user can make reservation at an other store from the initial position without moving to a communicable range of a reservation server of the other store. Moreover, the reservation-permissible range of the reservation server becomes larger than the communicable range of a radio network of the reservation server.

In addition, it is also appropriate that the selecting step includes an other reservation server access step in which the reservation server gains access to other reservation server store/facility information or other reservation server alternative event information retained in an other reservation server connected through a server network to the reservation server, a waiting time calculating step in which the reservation server calculates a user's waiting time, to be taken until a desired service or a desired event starts, on the basis of the other reservation server store/facility information or other reservation server alternative event information accessed in the other reservation server access step, and an extracting step in which the reservation server extracts, from the desired service or desired event, a service or event practicable within the waiting time calculated in the waiting time calculating step. Accordingly, a service provider can notify a user of a reservation situation or a time-limited service at an appropriate timing.

Furthermore, in accordance with a further aspect of the present invention, there is provided a reservation method comprising a reserving step in which a user terminal makes reservation for a reservation-needed service to a reservation server connected through a radio network to the user terminal, a threshold detecting step in which the reservation server detects the fact that a rate of change of the number of reservations for the reservation-needed service reserved in the reserving step is equal to or more than a first threshold value, or is equal to or less than a second threshold value, a supernumerary dispatch staff retrieving step in which the reservation server has access to at least an other reservation server which is connected through a server network to make retrieval on supernumerary store/facility having supernumerary when the threshold detecting step detects that the rate of change thereof is equal to or more than the first threshold value, and the reservation server has access to the other reservation server to make retrieval on a dispatch requiring store/facility requiring dispatched staff when the threshold detecting step detects that the rage of change thereof is equal to or less than the second threshold value, and a requesting/supporting step in which the reservation server issues a request for dispatch to the supernumerary store/facility retrieved in the supernumerary dispatch staff retrieving step or offers support to the dispatch requiring store/facility retrieved in the supernumerary dispatch staff retrieving step.

Accordingly, a user can be notified of a service of a store existing in a communicable range in real time, and can obtain the latest service information.

Still furthermore, in accordance with a further aspect of the present invention, there is provided a reservation method comprising a communication-feasible user terminal retrieving step in which a reservation server retrieves a communication-feasible user terminal from user terminals connected to a server network to the reservation server, a third transmitting step in which the reservation server transmits store/facility information including a reservation-needed service and a reservation situation of the reservation-needed service to the communication-feasible user terminal retrieved in the communication-feasible user terminal retrieving step, and a fourth transmitting step in which the communication-feasible user terminal transmits a desired service which a user desires, among reservation-needed services included in the store/facility information transmitted in the third transmitting step, to the reservation server.

This enables advertisement of service contents and reservation situations at a proper timing, and reservation situations on stores/facilities the user can visit directly appear on the user terminal.

Furthermore, in accordance with a further aspect of the present invention, there is provided a reservation method comprising an inquiring step in which a user terminal inquires of a reservation server connected through a server network to the user terminal whether or not it is possible for a user to receive a desired service which the user desires, a reference step in which the reservation server refers to at least one of store/facility information including a reservation-needed service and a reservation situation of the reservation-needed service and alternative event information on an event substituting for the reservation-needed service with respect to the desired service on the inquiry in the inquiring step, and a store/facility information transmitting step in which the reservation server transmits details of the desired service to the user terminal when it is possible for the user to receive the desired service as a result of the reference in the reference step, and transmits alternative store/facility information or alternative event information to the user terminal when it is impossible for the user to receive the desired service.

With this method, a user can initiatively select and receive a service.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an illustration of a configuration of a reservation system which is to employ the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a reservation server according to a first embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 3 is an illustration of a configuration of a server network according to the first embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a user terminal according to the first embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 5 is an illustration for explaining a piconet;

FIG. 6 is an illustration of an initial state of a network on a piconet;

FIG. 7 is an illustration of a state of formation of a network on a piconet;

FIG. 8 is an illustration of a state of formation of a scatternet;

FIG. 9 is an illustration for explaining a hierarchical structure of a scatternet;

FIG. 10 is an illustration of a terminating state of a scatternet;

FIG. 11 is an illustration of a network topology for an ordinary reservation according to the first embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 12 is an illustration for explaining a first network topology according to the first embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 13 is an illustration for explaining a second network topology according to the first embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 14 is a flow chart for explaining a reservation method according to the first embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 15 is an illustration for explaining a communicable range according to the first embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 16 is a flow chart showing a reservation method using a user terminal before completion of reservation according to the first embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 17 is a flow chart showing a reservation method using the user terminal after the completion of reservation according to the first embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 18 is a block diagram showing a reservation server according to a second embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 19(a) is an illustration for explaining a timetable according to the second embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 19(b) is an illustration for explaining performing event information according to the second embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 20 is a flow chart for explaining a reservation method according to the second embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 21 is a block diagram showing a reservation server according to a first modification of the second embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 22 is a flow chart for explaining a reservation method according to the first modification of the second embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 23 is a flow chart for explaining another reservation method according to the first modification of the second embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 24 is a block diagram showing a reservation server according to a second modification of the second embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 25 is a flow chart for explaining a reservation method according to the second modification of the second embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 26 is a block diagram showing a reservation server according to a third modification of the second embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 27 is a flow chart for explaining a reservation method according to the third modification of the second embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 28 is a block diagram showing a reservation server according to a fourth modification of the second embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 29 is a flow chart for explaining a reservation method according to the fourth modification of the second embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 30 is a flow chart for describing a calculation method for introduction charges according to the fourth modification of the second embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 31 is a block diagram showing a reservation server according to a fifth embodiment of the second embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 32 is a flow chart for describing a reservation method according to the fifth modification of the second embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 33 is a block diagram showing a reservation server according to a third embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 34 is another block diagram showing the reservation server according to the third embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 35 is a flow chart for describing a reservation method according to the third embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 36 is a flow chart for describing another reservation method according to the third embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 37 is a block diagram showing a reservation server according to a fourth embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 38 is a flow chart for describing a reservation method according to the fourth embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 39 is an illustration of an example of display of a reservation situation based on rate-of-reservation information according to a fifth embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 40 is an illustration of an example of display of a reservation situation based on seat numbers according to the fifth embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 41 is an illustration of an example of display of a reservation request according to the fifth embodiment of the invention;

FIGS. 42(a) and 42(b) are illustrations of examples of display to be made for when all seats are occupied, according to the fifth embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 43(a) is an illustration for describing suggestion time according to the fifth embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 43(b) is an illustration of a timetable of a facility according to the fifth embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 44 is an illustration of an example of a screen of a user terminal according to the fifth embodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 45 is an illustration of one example of suggestion contents after completion of a service or event according to the fifth embodiment of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Embodiments of the present invention will be described hereinbelow with reference to the drawings.

(A) Description of First Embodiment of the Invention

FIG. 1 is an illustration of a configuration of a reservation system which is to employ the present invention. In FIG. 1, a reservation system 23 is for making reservation at a store/facility, and is equipped with a user terminal 1, a reservation server 2 and a restaurant 30 as one example of a store/facility. This store/facility is a store or facility having a window, and in addition to the restaurant 30, signifies a store such as an eating and drinking house, a movie theater, a theater, a recreation ground or a bank, or a facility such as a city hall, a transportation facility, a public institution, a hospital or a drugstore in a hospital.

The services (reservation-needed services) of these stores/facilities include, in addition to services in which the restaurant 30 or an eating and drinking house serves lunches, coffee or the like, services of a movie theater or a theater showing users movies or plays, services of a recreation ground permitting users to utilize attractions, deposit services a bank presents, services of a city hall issuing resident cards to users, services of a transportation facility transporting a person or thing by using a passenger car, services of a public institution accepting a tax return, services of a hospital examining patients, services of a drugstore making up a prescription for patients, or other services.

In addition, the services (reservation-needed services) cover the contents thereof. That is, the reservation-needed services include dish information such as dish menus, dish prices, the presence or absence of recommendatory dishes and low-priced dish menus of the day, and opening and closing times of the restaurant 30. Also with respect to a movie theater or a theater, the services include information such as titles of movies, titles of plays, and start and end times. Still additionally, the services include description of attractions, description of deposit merchandise, acceptance period, information on time and charge, information on income tax return period, specialist classification such as internal medicine department and surgery department, names of medicines, and other information.

Moreover, the reservation signifies, for each service, securement of a seat in the restaurant 30 or an eating and drinking house at a specified date, securement of a seat in a movie theater or a theater, securement of an attraction ticket in a recreation ground, a numbered ticket for a deposit service, a numbered ticket for issue of a resident card, securement of a seat in a railroad train or an airplane, tax payment acceptance, a numbered ticket for medical examination or reception of medicines, and others. That is, in the following description, the reservation covers behaviors which cause the issue of numbered tickets and the occurrence of waiting queues.

Still moreover, the number of vacant seats, the degree of jam (jamming state of a store) or the presence or absence of a seat in each service will sometimes be referred to hereinafter as a "reservation situation". Each service and the reservation situation thereof are interchanged as store/facility information (sometimes, which will hereinafter be referred to simply as a "store information") between a user and a store through the user terminal 1 and the reservation server 2.

These meanings will be used in the same way in each modification of the first embodiment and second to fifth embodiments which will be described later, unless otherwise specified particularly.

In FIG. 1, the reservation system 23 accepts reservation from users, and offers alternative event information to the users when the reservation comes to an end. That is, when the reservation server 2 cannot provide a service which a user desires, the alternative event information of the service information retained in the reservation server 2 is suggested to the user.

This alternative event information is on an event (alternative event) substituting for a reservation-needed service, and includes the event substituting for the reservation-needed service and the start and end times of that event. This alternative event signifies a service in which a user enjoys a movie, a service in which a user utilizes attraction in a recreation ground, a service in which the restaurant 30 or a coffee shop serves a lunch, coffee or the like, use of a karaoke (sing-along music) box (a kind of karaoke bar), bowling in a bowling alley, a discount service in a supermarket, and others. Therefore, the alternative event and the reservation-needed service sometimes represent the same event or service.

In addition, the alternative event information includes, in addition to the event substituting for the reservation-needed service, the contents of that event. That is, it covers a title of